Lead Synthesis Chemist

PPG Industries; Burbank (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health

Dental

Life

Retirement Plan

Paid Vacation and Holidays

EAP

Disability/Leave

Family Leave

other Voluntary benefit offerings

Job summary

PPG Industries in Burbank, CA seeks a Lead Synthesis Chemist to drive new resin development for aerospace coatings, sealants, and adhesives, while supporting current resin production in manufacturing sites.

You will perform hands-on synthesis in the lab, optimize processes, and collaborate across Formulation Development, Process Engineering, Operations, and Quality teams. Travel ~10% and report to the Senior Manager, Adhesives and Polymers.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry or material science with at least 3 years of experience.
• 3–5 years of related industrial experience.
• Hands-on experience and fundamental understanding in organic or polymer synthesis.
• Expertise in analytical techniques and data processing.
• Experience with reaction kinetics, scale-up, and process optimization.
• Experience with design of experiments and Gage R&R.

Responsibilities

• Develop new resin materials for aerospace coatings, sealants and adhesives
• Improve manufacturing process for strategic resin products; conduct root cause analysis with a data-driven approach
• Use analytical tools including NMR, FTIR, GC/LC, GPC for characterization and troubleshooting
• Collaborate with Formulation Development, Process Engineering, Operations, Quality, and Analytical teams
• Present technologies, test reports, and strategies to internal and external customers
• Travel domestically and internationally (~10%)
• Follow all safety protocols and promote a safety culture

Skills

Organic synthesis

Polymer synthesis

Data analysis

Analytical techniques

Education

PhD in chemistry or materials science

3+ years industrial experience

Tools

NMR

FTIR

GC/LC

GPC

Job description

As a Lead Synthesis Chemist, you will manage the development of new resins for aerospace materials and supporting current resin production in manufacturing sites. You will focus on hands‑on synthetic work in the lab, process improvement for current manufacturing practices, and cross‑team collaboration to develop new aerospace materials. Success requires organic and polymer synthesis skills and the ability to collaborate to accomplish projects. You will report to the Senior Manager, Adhesives and Polymers at our Burbank, CA facility.

Main Responsibilities

• Develop new resin materials for aerospace coatings, sealants and adhesives
• Improve manufacturing process for strategic resin products Conduct root cause analysis with a data‑driven approach
• Use analytical tools including NMR, FTIR, GC/LC, GPC for characterization and troubleshooting
• Collaborate with Formulation Development, Process Engineering, Operations, Quality, and Analytical teams
• Present technologies, test reports, and strategies to internal and external customers
• Travel domestically and internationally (~10%)
• Follow all safety protocols and promote a safety culture

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry or material science with at least 3 years of experience.
• 3–5 years of related industrial experience
• Hands‑on experience and fundamental understanding in organic or polymer synthesis
• Expertise in analytical techniques and data processing
• Experience with reaction kinetics, scale‑up, and process optimization
• Experience with design of experiments and Gage R&R

The base salary range for this position is $110,000 to $140,000, with a possibility of an annual bonus up to 7% of base salary. PPG offers comprehensive benefits such as

• Health
• Dental
• Life
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Vacation and Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Disability/Leave
• Family Leave
• and other Voluntary benefit offerings.

About us:

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 thandoes any other company. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @PPG onX.

The PPG Way 2030

We are customer champions

Proactive. Bold. Trustworthy. Everything we do starts with our customers. We listen, movefastanddon’tstop until we solve their biggest challenges. When our customers win, we all grow.

We act with purpose and speed

Agile. Data‑driven. Empowered. We take smart risks to stay ahead of the competition. We work proactively with agility, using quality data to develop solutions that create value.

We are excellent operators

Productive. Collaborative. Accountable. No matter our role, weidentifyproblems, takeownershipand always bring solutions. We are both proactive and responsive to drive continuous improvement and deliver results. We support ourfrontline,the faces of PPG to our customers.

We compete to win

Future‑focused. Driven. Ambitious. We are passionate about growing our business and winning with our customers. We deliver results, embrace newtechnologiesand leverage agility and speed as strengths.

We are PPG proud

Strong. United. Passionate. We work safely, act withintegrityand value our diverse perspectives. We celebrate achievements and take pride in the positive impact we create together to protect and beautify the world.

At PPG we use AI in the hiring process to make the process more efficient. AI tools do not make hiring decisions. You can learn more by going to https://careers.ppg.com/us/en/candidate-resources.

PPGprovidesequal 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, genderidentityor expression.

If you need an adjustment due to a disability, please email [e-mail].

PPG pay ranges and benefits can vary bylocationwhich allows us to compensate employees competitively in different geographic markets. PPG considers several factors in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, qualifications and education, licensure and certifications, and other organizational needs. Other incentives may apply.

Our employee benefits programs are designed to support the health and well‑being of our employees. Any insurancecoveragesand benefits will bein accordance withthe terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process.

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.