Principal, Research and Technology Development - Chemistry & Chemical

bakerhughes; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Baker Hughes seeks a Paraffin and Asphaltene Principal Scientist to lead development and evaluation of chemical solutions for wax and asphaltene control, serving as a technical authority for lab testing and product direction.

The role emphasizes strong customer‑facing engagement, experimental design, and translating field needs into performance requirements, with collaboration across R&D and regional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline with significant relevant experience.
• Experience in paraffin/wax control and asphaltene control in oilfield chemicals.
• Experience developing paraffin inhibitors, pour point depressants, asphaltene inhibitors, or solvent/remediation products.
• Strong laboratory background: designing experiments, developing test methods, interpreting results.
• Ability to connect crude oil behavior to product performance.
• Ability to work independently as a principal technical expert while collaborating with R&D and regional teams.
• Experience engaging with customers or technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Leading paraffin and asphaltene product development from concept through formulation, screening, qualification, and commercialization support.
• Developing, improving, and standardizing laboratory test methods for paraffin inhibitors, pour point depressants, asphaltene inhibitors, dispersants, solvents, and remediation chemistries.
• Designing and interpreting rigorous laboratory studies that connect crude oil behavior, deposit characteristics, chemical structure, formulation design, and product performance.
• Serving as a principal technical authority for paraffin and asphaltene technologies, including testing strategy, performance interpretation, technical recommendations, and technology direction.
• Engaging directly with customers and internal stakeholders to understand production challenges, capture voice-of-customer needs, and translate feedback into product development priorities that improve customer satisfaction.
• Contributing to intellectual property, technical publications, internal reports, test procedures, knowledge transfer, and technical training for paraffin and asphaltene technologies.

Skills

Paraffin/Asphaltene control

Organic solids control

Laboratory test design

Customer engagement

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry/C.E./P.E./Materials Science/Polymer Science

Job description

Paraffin and Asphaltene Principal Scientist - Upstream Chemicals

Are you passionate about developing innovative chemical solutions to solve complex flow assurance and organic solids challenges? Do you thrive on combining scientific expertise, laboratory innovation, and customer engagement to deliver impactful production chemistry solutions?

Partner with the best : As a Paraffin and Asphaltene Principal Scientist, you will develop, evaluate, and advance chemical solutions for wax and asphaltene control while serving as a technical authority for product development and laboratory testing. This role requires strong customer‑facing technical engagement, including listening to the voice of the customer, understanding production challenges, and translating customer needs into product performance requirements, testing strategies, and practical technology solutions. The successful candidate will help drive customer satisfaction by connecting technical expertise, laboratory performance, and field‑relevant recommendations to measurable customer outcomes.

Fueling your passion : To be successful in this role, you will bring deep technical expertise in organic solids control, production chemistry, chemical formulation, and laboratory product evaluation, along with the ability to engage customers from a technical perspective. The ideal candidate will be a hands‑on principal technical expert who can design experiments, understand mechanisms, develop products, improve test methods, listen to customer needs, and influence technology direction through strong scientific judgment and customer‑focused technical performance.

Responsibilities

• Leading paraffin and asphaltene product development from concept through formulation, screening, qualification, and commercialization support.
• Developing, improve, and standardize laboratory test methods for paraffin inhibitors, pour point depressants, asphaltene inhibitors, dispersants, solvents, and remediation chemistries.
• Designing and interpret rigorous laboratory studies that connect crude oil behavior, deposit characteristics, chemical structure, formulation design, and product performance.
• Serving as a principal technical authority for paraffin and asphaltene technologies, including testing strategy, performance interpretation, technical recommendations, and technology direction.
• Engaging directly with customers and internal stakeholders to understand production challenges, capture voice‑of‑customer needs, and translate feedback into product development priorities that improve customer satisfaction.
• Contributing to intellectual property, technical publications, internal reports, test procedures, knowledge transfer, and technical training for paraffin and asphaltene technologies.

Requirements

• Have Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, or a related technical discipline with significant relevant experience in oilfield chemicals, organic solids control, product development, or laboratory testing.
• Demonstrates technical experience in paraffin/wax control, asphaltene control, organic deposition, crude oil characterization, or production chemical product development.
• Have experience developing, screening, qualifying, or improving paraffin inhibitors, pour point depressants, asphaltene inhibitors, asphaltene dispersants, or solvent/remediation products.
• Have strong laboratory background, including experience designing experiments, developing test methods, interpreting results, and documenting technical conclusions.
• Have ability to connect crude oil behavior, deposit characteristics, chemical structure, formulation design, and product performance.
• Have ability to work independently as a principal technical expert while collaborating across R&D, product management, technical support, and regional teams.
• Have experience engaging with customers or technical stakeholders to understand performance needs, communicate technical recommendations, and support customer satisfaction through technical problem solving.
• Have strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical findings clearly and defend recommendations with data.

Desired

• Have advanced degree, such as an M.S. or Ph.D., in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
• Have deep expertise in wax crystallization, paraffin deposition, pour point depression, asphaltene stability, asphaltene deposition, dispersancy, solvency, or organic solids remediation.
• Have experience with laboratory methods such as cold finger testing, rheology, pour point testing, wax appearance temperature evaluation, asphaltene stability testing, deposition testing, centrifuge methods, high‑pressure testing, or deposit characterization.
• Have experience developing produ