R&D Formulation Chemist

Malco Products; New Portage (OH); On-site; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Malco Products seeks an R&D Formulation Chemist to lead the development of innovative formulations for automotive appearance, detailing, and restoration products. You will guide projects from concept through production scale-up, collaborating with Quality, Sales, Marketing and Operations to meet customer needs and regulatory requirements.

The role requires deep formulation expertise, 7+ years of experience in consumer/car care products, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, or related science required; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of new product formulation experience in consumer products or automotive detailing.
• Experience with stability studies, efficacy testing, and production scale-up.
• Familiarity with GHS/SDS requirements and chemical safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead formulation from concept through production scale-up for automotive appearance, detailing, and restoration products.
• Develop formulations, source materials, and perform lab-scale production and stability studies.
• Collaborate with Quality to set specs and test methods ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Work with contract customers to meet product requirements and scale-up.
• Identify and evaluate raw materials for performance, safety, and cost reductions.
• Address market needs with viable formulation concepts and communicate findings to stakeholders.
• Maintain lab notebooks and project files; provide data and recommendations for SDS development.
• Support other departments with technical assistance and participate in cross-functional quality initiatives.

Skills

Formulation expertise

Product development

Cross‑functional collaboration

Communication skills

Time management

Manufacturing exposure

Education

Bachelor's in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Biology or related

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

LIMS

MS Office (Excel/Word/Outlook)

Job description

Salary Range: $75,000.00 To $90,000.00 Annually

Summary: The R&D Formulation Chemist is responsible for formulating innovative and competitive products for the automotive appearance, detailing, and restoration industry. This role leads new product development from concept through production scale-up, working cross-functionally with Quality, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to exceed customer expectations and respond to requests for new and improved products.

Responsibilities: Specific duties are intended to describe activities that support the summary above. The list is not all inclusive – other duties may be required to cover the breadth and depth of the position.

• Develop and perform all formulation requirements including new and innovative product research, raw material research and sourcing, formulation development, product efficacy studies, lab-scale production, stability studies, manufacturing protocol development, specification creation, and production scale-up activities.
• Work directly with Quality to develop product specifications and test methods; ensure formulations meet all internal quality standards prior to release.
• Work directly with contract customers to develop new products and oversee successful production scale-up, ensuring customer requirements are met at every stage.
• Evaluate new and alternative raw materials for functionality, stability, regulatory compliance, and cost reduction opportunities.
• Identify and investigate product improvement possibilities in conjunction with Sales and Marketing efforts; translate market needs into viable formulation concepts.
• Research current and proposed raw materials with respect to state, national, and international safety and health regulations; identify and address areas where formulas may require modification for compliance.
• Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks and associated project files; communicate project status, findings, and recommendations to appropriate stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Provide data and technical recommendations to support GHS Safety Data Sheet (SDS) development and maintenance.
• Develop a working knowledge of all Malco product lines and provide technical assistance to Sales, Marketing, Quality Control, and other departments as needed.
• Participate on cross-functional Quality Improvement Teams (QIT) and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Perform complaint investigations; analyze reported product issues, identify root cause, and recommend corrective actions.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, or a related science discipline required. Advanced degree preferred.

Experience / Requirements:

• 7+ years of new product formulation experience, preferably in consumer products and/or the automotive detailing industry including compounds, polishes, waxes, tire dressings, and car wash products
• Demonstrated experience with stability studies, efficacy testing, and production scale-up in a laboratory or manufacturing environment
• Familiarity with GHS/SDS requirements and chemical safety and health regulations at state, national, and international levels
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to clearly present technical findings to both scientific and non-scientific audiences
• Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Experience in a manufacturing environment preferred; ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a cross-functional team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook); experience with laboratory information management systems a plus