R&D Technical Specialist - Mill Hall, PA

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Mill Hall (Clinton County)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 120,000

Full time

6 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness benefits starting on

Paid parental leave

401K eligibility

Tuition reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program / Health

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

Avery Dennison Mill Hall, PA is seeking a hands-on R&D Chemist to drive benchtop synthesis and formulation of next-generation adhesives and coatings for the Label and Graphic Materials (LGM) business. You will lead polymer development from lab scale through pilot and full-scale production, collaborating across functions to align with manufacturing and cost constraints.

The role focuses on translating commercial strategies into technical solutions, pursuing new materials, and contributing to

Qualifications

BS/MS in Chemistry or Polymer Science; 5+ years in polymer design, synthesis, scale-up.
Experience in commercial product development, especially acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives with high-speed coating/drying.
Experience with pressure-sensitive adhesives in label industry encouraged.
Knowledge of statistical design of experiments (DOE).
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong time management; ability to balance/lead multiple projects.
Proven ability to work in cross-functional teams (R&D, Operations, Legal, Commercial).
Creativity and lab efficiency to progress projects while controlling costs.

Responsibilities

Apply hands-on adhesion, polymer synthesis and formulation methods for diverse projects supporting LGM-NA growth and cost-out goals.
Lead experimental designs, oversee testing, interpret data, and prepare technical reports for stakeholders.
Translate product requirements into actionable work plans with commercial teams.
Collaborate with other technology teams and business units; scout new raw materials and drive new ideas for polymer development and cost-out initiatives.
Travel up to 25% for customer needs, trials and team collaboration.
Define projects for other Applications Laboratory staff and ensure safe lab practices.

Skills

Adhesion science

Polymer synthesis

DOE / statistics

Verbal & written communication

Time management

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Chemistry/Polymer Science

Tools

Laboratory instruments

Job description

Job Description

ATTENTION MILITARY AFFILIATED JOB SEEKERS - Our organization works with partner companies to source qualified talent for their open roles. The following position is available to Veterans, Transitioning Military, National Guard and Reserve Members, Military Spouses, Wounded Warriors, and their Caregivers. Unless specifically stated otherwise, this role is "On-Site" at the location detailed in the job post.

Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company. We are Making Possible products and solutions that help advance the industries we serve, providing branding and information solutions that optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, reduce waste and mitigate loss, advance sustainability, circularity and transparency and better connect brands and consumers. We design and develop labeling and functional materials, radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, software applications that connect the physical and digital and offerings that enhance branded packaging and carry or display information that improves the customer experience. Serving industries worldwide - including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive - we employ approximately 35,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Our reported sales in 2025 were $8.9 billion.

Benefits

Health & Wellness benefits starting on day 1 of employment

Paid parental leave

401K eligibility

Tuition reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program eligibility / Health Advocate

Paid vacation and Paid holidays

The qualified candidate will be a hands-on R&D Chemist to drive the benchtop synthesis and formulation of next-generation adhesives and coatings for our Label and Graphic Materials (LGM) business. Based at our Mill Hall facility, this role is primarily focused on laboratory-scale polymer development while overseeing the critical transition of these formulations through pilot and full production scale-up.

In this role, you will actively participate in formal new product development and cost-out projects supporting an internal customer base consisting of our commercial PLT, our R&D leadership and downstream coating operations. You will translate commercial strategies into real-world technical solutions while ensuring those solutions align with manufacturing and cost constraints.

You will also collaborate with other technology/research teams and business units - keeping current on new/emerging technologies. Additionally, you will be a key catalyst for pipeline innovation - proactively scouting new raw materials and generating a robust, continuous stream of new ideas for novel polymer development and high-impact cost-out initiatives.

Representative Activities

Apply a hands‑on approach and scientific principles of adhesion, polymer synthesis and formulating methods and design for a variety of technical projects of varying scope and complexity in support of the LGM‑NA growth and cost‑out goal. Act as technical leader on project teams consisting of multi‑departmental team members for the development and promotion of adhesives and coatings for to targets products and applications.

Lead development of experimental designs, oversee testing, interpret data, prepare technical reports to be shared with internal team members and stakeholders.

Translate new product requirements into actionable work plans. Assist project teams in the scoping of work plans through interaction with commercial teams and customers.

Conduct travel for the purposes of gathering customer needs, executing experimental trials and team collaboration (up to 25% travel possible).

Define projects for other Applications Laboratory staff.

Work safely.

Minimum Education Required

Bachelors

Qualifications

Minimum BS/MS in Chemistry or Polymer Science, with at least 5 years experience in polymer design, synthesis, formulating and scale‑up.

Experience in commercial product development – particularly in the acrylic pressure sensitive industry including high speed coating and drying a plus.

Experience in the application of pressure sensitive adhesives in the label industry is highly desired.

Demonstrated knowledge and application of statistical design of experiments.

Demonstrated excellent verbal & written communication skills.

Well‑developed time management skills with the ability to balance and/or lead multiple projects simultaneously.

Consistent track record of effective team member roles on multi‑functional teams comprised of R&D, Operations, Legal, and Commercial/Customer personnel.