Lead Customer Development Chemist

PPG Industries (UK) Limited; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead Customer Development Chemist to join their dynamic team in Pittsburgh. In this hands-on role, you will become a Subject Matter Expert in coatings technologies, managing functional coatings portfolios and engaging directly with customers. You will lead projects, troubleshoot issues, and collaborate with manufacturing teams to deliver innovative solutions. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of coatings while working in a supportive environment that values integrity and professionalism. If you are passionate about chemistry and customer engagement, this role is perfect for you.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Professional Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant work experience in coatings.
• Strong knowledge of coatings application principles.

Responsibilities

• Support technology transfer and scale-up of coatings products.
• Lead independent projects focusing on customer needs.

Skills

Coatings Chemistries

Customer Engagement

Technical Problem Solving

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Master of Science in Polymer Science

PhD in Engineering

Tools

ERP Systems (Oracle, SAP)

Microsoft Applications

Job description

Lead Customer Development Chemist

PPG Industries

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

In this role, you will become a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on a specific group of technologies that we sell to our Industrial Coatings customers. This is a hands-on role that involves direct engagement in technical activities and the supervision of technicians to ensure successful project execution.

As a Lead Customer Development Chemist in Industrial Coatings, you will be responsible for managing a variety of functional coatings portfolios and supporting relevant growth opportunities as a part of the dynamic, versatile Industrial Coatings team. This is a customer-facing role where you will lead independent projects while supporting coatings manufacturing and customer troubleshooting for key technologies within the business. Additionally, you will have ownership of a key segment and associated technologies, requiring you to become an expert in a portfolio of coatings products.

Key Responsibilities

• Support technology transfer and scale-up of coatings products at manufacturing plants
• Provide support for customer and production-related issues (customer-facing)
• Deliver innovative technical solutions to challenging problems while engaging directly with customers
• Lead independent projects with a focus on customer needs and satisfaction
• Plan and coordinate technical activities for new projects in collaboration with customers
• Consult with other chemists in the organization and field technical service personnel
• Communicate directly with customers and commercial teams to understand product requirements and explain product characteristics
• Support maintenance of ERP data

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), or PhD degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Engineering, or related field with at least 5 years of relevant work experience
• Knowledge of coatings chemistries and application principles
• Manufacturing (or manufacturing support) experience preferred
• ERP (Oracle, SAP, etc.) experience preferred
• Ability to search and interpret literature and cognizant of competitor technology and intellectual property
• Strong communication skills to effectively engage with external customers, internal stakeholders, and operations personnel
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications (for management of data and technical presentations)
• Travel – 25-50% within the first 6-12 months to learn manufacturing and customers. After this period, travel will be greatly reduced to 10% or less.

About us:

Here at PPG we make it happen, and we seek candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our values, with the commitment and drive to strive today to do better than yesterday – everyday.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD

Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @ PPG on Twitter.

The PPG Way

Every single day at PPG:

We partner with customers to create mutual value.

We are "One PPG" to the world.

We trust our people every day, in every way.

We make it happen.

We run it like we own it.

We do better today than yesterday – everyday.

PPG provides equal opportunity to all candidates and employees. We offer an opportunity to grow and develop your career in an environment that provides a fulfilling workplace for employees, creates an environment for continuous learning, and embraces the ideas and diversity of others. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. If you need assistance to complete your application due to a disability, please email [e-mail].

PPG values your feedback on our recruiting process. We encourage you to visit Glassdoor.com and provide feedback on the process, so that we can do better today than yesterday.

Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process.

Gehaltsstrukturen und Zusatzleistungen von PPG können je nach Standort unterschiedlich sein, sodass wir unsere Mitarbeiter in verschiedenen geografischen Märkten wettbewerbsfähig entlohnen können. PPG berücksichtigt bei Vergütungsentscheidungen mehrere Faktoren, wie unter anderem Fertigkeiten, Erfahrung und Schulung, Qualifikation und Ausbildung, Lizenzen und Zertifizierungen sowie andere organisatorische Anforderungen. Es können andere Leistungsanreize Anwendung finden.

Unsere Programme für Sozialleistungen sind so konzipiert, dass sie die Gesundheit und das Wohlbefinden unserer Mitarbeiter unterstützen. Jeder Versicherungsschutz und alle Leistungen richten sich nach den Bedingungen der jeweiligen Pläne und den dazugehörigen maßgeblichen Plandokumenten.

About us:

Here at PPG we make it happen, and we seek candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our values, with the commitment and drive to strive today to do better than yesterday – everyday.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD
Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company.. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @ PPG on Twitter.

The PPG Way
Every single day at PPG:
We partner with customers to create mutual value.
We are “One PPG” to the world.
We trust our people every day, in every way.
We make it happen.
We run it like we own it.
We do better today than yesterday – everyday.

PPG provides equal opportunity to all candidates and employees. We offer an opportunity to grow and develop your career in an environment that provides a fulfilling workplace for employees, creates an environment for continuous learning, and embraces the ideas and diversity of others. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. If you need assistance to complete your application due to a disability, please email [e-mail].

PPG values your feedback on our recruiting process. We encourage you to visit Glassdoor.com and provide feedback on the process, so that we can do better today than yesterday.
Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process.