Rubber Chemist

Insight Global; Gaffney (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global is seeking a Rubber Chemist to join a leading manufacturing client. This role focuses on developing, testing, and optimizing rubber compounds for industrial applications, with hands-on compounding and elastomer technology experience.

You will collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to scale formulations from lab to production, mentor junior chemists, and help drive continuous innovation within a growing R&D organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related field
• 5–10+ years of relevant industry experience
• Hands-on rubber and silicone compounding and formulation development experience
• Experience with rubber material testing methods including tensile, rheology, hardness, and aging evaluations
• Ability to analyze test data and provide recommendations based on findings
• Experience supporting product development and process improvement initiatives
• Strong documentation and technical reporting skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience with compliance/quality standards & reporting
• Coated textile experience – performance testing (smoke, fire, wear testing)
• Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related discipline
• Experience with rubber injection molding, extrusion, or mixing processes
• Knowledge of additive selection, fillers, curing systems, and compound optimization
• Familiarity with industry standards and regulatory requirements
• Experience scaling laboratory formulations into manufacturing environments
• Previous R&D experience within rubber, elastomer, or polymer manufacturing

Responsibilities

• Develop and formulate new rubber compounds and improve existing formulations
• Support product development activities from concept through commercialization
• Conduct laboratory testing, material characterization, and performance evaluations
• Develop and validate test methodologies and procedures
• Analyze test data and make formulation recommendations
• Troubleshoot material, formulation, and processing issues within manufacturing operations
• Support scale-up activities from lab to production
• Work closely with quality, operations, engineering, and production teams
• Evaluate and qualify raw materials, additives, fillers, and curing systems
• Maintain technical documentation, reports, and regulatory records
• Ensure compliance with quality standards, safety requirements, and industry regulations
• Mentor junior chemists and laboratory personnel
• Collaborate with customers and key partners on product development projects
• Utilize and support laboratory information management systems (LIMS)
• Present technical findings and recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership teams

Skills

Rubber compounding

Elastomer technology

Polymer chemistry

Lab testing

Data analysis

Technical reporting

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related field

Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related discipline

Tools

LIMS

Rubber processing equipment

Job description

Job Description

Insight Global is seeking a Rubber Chemist for a top manufacturing client. This candidate will join an innovative R&D team focused on the development, testing, and optimization of rubber compounds used in critical industrial applications. The ideal candidate will have hands‑on experience in rubber compounding, elastomer technology, or polymer chemistry and will play a key role in product development, process improvement, and performance enhancement initiatives. This individual will collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to solve technical challenges, scale new formulations into production, and support continuous innovation within a growing organization. The role offers strong career growth potential for candidates looking to expand their impact within research and development.

• Develop and formulate new rubber compounds and improve existing formulations
• Support product development activities from concept through commercialization
• Conduct laboratory testing, material characterization, and performance evaluations
• Develop and validate test methodologies and procedures
• Analyze test data and make formulation recommendations
• Troubleshoot material, formulation, and processing issues within manufacturing operations
• Support scale-up activities from lab to production
• Work closely with quality, operations, engineering, and production teams
• Evaluate and qualify raw materials, additives, fillers, and curing systems
• Maintain technical documentation, reports, and regulatory records
• Ensure compliance with quality standards, safety requirements, and industry regulations
• oSTSM standards,
• oAerospace standards reporting – compliance, operations, quality, etc.
• Mentor junior chemists and laboratory personnel
• Collaborate with customers and key partners on product development projects
• Utilize and support laboratory information management systems (LIMS)
• Present technical findings and recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership teams

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to [e-mail] learn more about how we collect, keep, and process your private information, please review Insight Global's Workforce Privacy Policy: https://insightglobal.com/workforce-privacy-policy/.

Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related field
• 5-10+ years of relevant industry experience
• oHands-on rubber and silicone compounding and formulation development experience
• oIndustry experience in manufacturing, industrial, or similar
• Experience with rubber material testing methods including tensile, rheology, hardness, and aging evaluations
• Ability to analyze test data and provide recommendations based on findings
• Experience supporting product development and process improvement initiatives
• Strong documentation and technical reporting skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience with compliance/quality standards & reporting
• Interest in mentoring and developing junior technical team members •Coated textile experience – performance testing (smoke, fire, wear testing)
• Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related discipline
• Experience with rubber injection molding, extrusion, or mixing processes
• Knowledge of additive selection, fillers, curing systems, and compound optimization
• Familiarity with industry standards and regulatory requirements
• Experience scaling laboratory formulations into manufacturing environments
• Previous R&D experience within rubber, elastomer, or polymer manufacturing