Research Chemist

Stepan Company; Northfield Township (IL); On-site; USD 86,000 - 133,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary Bonus

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

401K with Match

Profit Sharing

PTO

STD/LTD Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account

Adoption Assistance

Employee Recognition Program

EAP

Job summary

Stepan Company is seeking a Research Chemist in the Polymer Group in Northfield Township, IL, to drive strategic projects through collaboration, polymer synthesis, and formulation studies. The role includes developing business cases and coordinating with multiple functions to ensure project success.

Applicants should have strong polymer knowledge, analytical chemistry skills, and the ability to apply AI/ML tools in research workflows. Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Strong thermodynamic understanding applied to lab and plant processes.
• Experience integrating AI/ML into scientific workflows.
• Analytical capabilities for organic molecules: NMR, FTIR, GPC, TGA.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Organic and polymer synthesis and kinetic/process experiments.
• Polyurethane foam formulation and property testing.
• Analytical testing for polyol projects (NMR, FTIR, GPC, etc.).
• Scale-up and process development for new polyol processes.
• Pilot-scale development of new polyurethane foams.
• Participate in safety/waste programs and adhere to policies.
• Generate ideas to contribute to company growth.
• Collaborate across functions and communicate results to customers.

Skills

Thermodynamics applications

AI/ML in research workflows

Analytical chemistry NMR/FTIR/GPC/TGA

Communication & collaboration

Polymer science basics

Education

B.S. in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering

Ph.D. in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering

Job description

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The Research Chemistin the Polymer Group at Stepan will be responsible for working collaboratively in a team environment to drive both short and long-term strategic projects to completion. The Research Chemist will conduct polymer synthesis, chemical analysis, formulation studies of new products and applications testing. In addition, the Research Chemist will develop initial business cases (e.g. white papers) for long-term initiatives to help populate the strategic project portfolio while collaborating between various functional groups to enable the project’s success.

Responsibilities:

• Organic and polymer synthesis, including kinetic and process-related experiments
• Polyurethane foam formulating and physical property testing
• Conduct analytical testing relevant to polyol projects, including NMR, FTIR, GPC, and other wet chemistry analytical methods
• Scale-up and process development for new polyol processes
• Pilot-scale development of new polyurethane foams
• Contributes to and actively participates in safety/waste programs and steadfastly adheres to safety policies/standards.
• Conceives of projects and ideas to contribute to company growth
• Interdepartmental collaboration on requests and technical projects
• Communicate project results to both internal and external customers

Qualifications

• Strong thermodynamic understanding and application to both new laboratory experiments and plant processes
• Experience integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive modeling, and autonomous research tools into scientific workflows to enhance innovation, decision-making, and research productivity.
• Strong organizational, writing, people, and communication skills.
• Good understanding of analytical capabilities related to organic molecules, including NMR, FTIR, GPC, TGA, etc.
• Understanding of structure-property relationships of polymers

Education

• B.S. in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with at least 8 years’ industrial experience
• Ph.D. Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with 0-5 years’ industrial experience.

Pay Range: $86,000 - $133,400

The salary range for this position is determined by considering a variety of factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and the location of the position.

At Stepan Company our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Discretionary Bonus
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401K with Match
• Profit Sharing
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (STD / LTD)
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Adoption Assistance
• Reactions – Recognition Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Stepan Company does not accept or retain unsolicited resumes or phone calls and/or respond to them or to any third party representing job seekers.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Stepan is a global specialty and intermediate chemical manufacturer that has been serving a broad range of industries for over 90years. Today, Stepan is a $2.7 billion revenue company. Our continued success is driven by the passion and commitment of our 2,500+ employees around the world.

Why Work At Stepan?

• Stable & Growing
• Collaborative Environment
• Make a Difference & Be Recognized
• Committed to Safety & Sustainability
• Value Driven Culture