Lead Laboratory Technician

Koch; Louisiana (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Paid vacation and time off

Educational assistance

Job summary

Koch is seeking a detail-oriented Chemist / Lead Laboratory Technician to join their Methanol plant laboratory team in Louisiana. In this role, you will perform field sampling, wet chemistry, and instrumental analysis, all crucial for maintaining product quality.

The position operates on a 9/80 compressed work schedule providing you every other Friday off. Benefits include medical, dental, and educational assistance, ensuring a comprehensive package for your contributions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands‑on laboratory experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Experience in analytical data interpretation, chemical calculations, and preparation of solutions.
• Experience performing laboratory analyses using wet chemistry and/or instrumental techniques.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute advanced testing across multiple laboratory methods.
• Prepare chemical solutions, maintain laboratory records, and document activities.
• Collaborate with operations and maintenance for troubleshooting and improvements.

Skills

Laboratory experience in an industrial environment

Analytical data interpretation

Experience with advanced analytical techniques

Strong Excel skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or related field

Tools

LIMS

Job description

We are seeking a safety‑focused, detail‑oriented Chemist / Lead Laboratory Technician to join the Koch Methanol plant laboratory team. The role performs field sampling, routine wet chemistry and instrumental analysis, safe handling of hazardous materials, and laboratory data analysis to support plant process control and product quality.

This position is performed in a laboratory environment on a 9/80 compressed work schedule, allowing employees to work 80 hours over 9 days with every other Friday off.

We are targeting a start date in September 2026, with flexibility based on candidate and business needs.

What You Will Do

• Independently plan and execute advanced testing across multiple laboratory methods with minimal supervision.
• Provide backup coverage for the Lab Manager as needed.
• Perform laboratory and field sampling and analyses using established wet chemistry and instrumental methods (e.g., titration, pH, spectrophotometry, ion chromatography, gas chromatography, ICP).
• Prepare chemical solutions, standards, and dilutions; maintain accurate laboratory records and data systems.
• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot laboratory equipment; document calibration and maintenance activities.
• Follow all site safety, environmental, and laboratory procedures; safely handle hazardous chemicals in accordance with SDS and PPE requirements.
• Support quality control activities including QC checks, control charts, investigation of out‑of‑spec results, and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and engineering to support troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Provide coverage during plant events such as shutdowns and startups, as needed.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• 5+ years of hands‑on laboratory experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Experience in analytical data interpretation, chemical calculations, and preparation of solutions and dilutions.
• Experience performing laboratory analyses using wet chemistry and/or instrumental techniques (titration, spectrophotometry, etc).
• Must be able to work shifts as required, and to respond to plant events beyond normal hours when necessary.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or a related field with 5+ years of hands‑on laboratory experience in a plant setting.
• Experience with advanced analytical techniques (e.g., Karl Fischer, GC, IC, ICP, TOC).
• Experience with quality systems, including QC/QA processes, basic statistics, and data trending.
• Experience using LIMS and strong Excel skills for data analysis and reporting.

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts.
• Life insurance, disability, and retirement plans.
• Paid vacation/time off and educational assistance.
• Additional benefits may include infertility assistance, paid parental leave, and adoption assistance (subject to eligibility).

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify.