R&D Lead: Label Printing & Packaging Innovations

MCC Label; Batavia Township (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Medical, dental, vision, disability, L

401(k)

Paid holidays

Job summary

MCC Label invites a talented R&D Research Scientist to advance innovations in label printing and packaging. You will lead projects from concept through scale-up and commercialization, with a focus on inks, coatings, adhesives, substrates, and print-related materials.

Collaboration with operations, quality, and suppliers ensures scalable, sustainable solutions that meet customer needs. You will design experiments, validate material solutions, and generate practical data to drive product

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a technical field such as chemistry, materials science, or related
• Experience in R&D, product development, packaging, coatings, inks or related areas
• Strong understanding of material interactions, adhesion, coating performance and end-use performance
• Ability to design experiments, analyze data, and translate findings into development plans
• Hands-on lab experience with formulation, prototype development, and test-method development
• Ability to move projects through stage-gate processes (feas feasibility to commercialization)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; collaborative mindset
• Commitment to safety, quality systems, regulatory awareness, and continuous improvement

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D projects from concept through feasibility, prototype development and commercialization
• Identify and develop new materials, formulations, substrates, print technologies and converting solutions
• Design and execute structured experiments to understand material interactions and optimize performance
• Develop and optimize inks, coatings, adhesives, primers, varnishes, and substrate combinations for label applications
• Build technical understanding of adhesion, surface energy, coating performance, and end-use performance
• Create prototypes, lab samples, pilot trials and production trial plans
• Analyze data, summarize findings and recommend next steps for development
• Develop, validate and improve laboratory test methods for label materials and print performance
• Collaborate with suppliers, universities and internal teams to source ideas and assess technologies
• Support IP development by documenting inventions and potential patent opportunities

Skills

Scientific curiosity

Innovation mindset

Analytical thinking

Hands-on lab work

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in chemistry/Materials Science/Polymer Science/Chemical Engineering/Packaging Science or related field

Master’s degree or PhD preferred

Tools

FTIR

Microscopy

Spectrophotometry

Tensile testing

Peel testing

Job description

MCC Label invites a talented R&D Research Scientist to advance innovations in label printing and packaging. You will lead projects from concept through scale-up and commercialization, with a focus on inks, coatings, adhesives, substrates, and print-related materials.

Collaboration with operations, quality, and suppliers ensures scalable, sustainable solutions that meet customer needs. You will design experiments, validate material solutions, and generate practical data to drive product