Senior Chemist, Marine & Recreational Coatings R&D Lead

MRT; Greensboro (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

RPM Industrial Coatings Group is seeking a Sr. Chemist, Recreational and Marine Coatings to lead R&D for high-performance marine coatings across Pettit and related brands.

You will drive new product development, optimize formulations, and provide technical support to manufacturing, quality, regulatory, and customers. The role demands 5+ years of relevant coatings experience, a chemistry degree (Master's preferred), and hands-on expertise with epoxy, polyurethane, and other resins.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related scientific discipline; Master's preferred.
• 5+ years of related work experience in marine, recreational, industrial, or protective coatings.
• Strong knowledge of epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic, alkyd, and other resin technologies.
• Experience supporting product scale-up and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the formulation, development, and testing of marine recreational coating systems across marine and aquatic applications, including anti-fouling/fouling-release coatings, primers, anti-corrosion coatings, topside systems, and protective finishes, while also supporting pool, deck, and other recreational surface coatings as needed.
• Design and execute laboratory experiments to evaluate coating performance, durability, adhesion, corrosion resistance, weatherability, chemical resistance, application properties, and suitability for marine and aquatic environments.
• Manage new product development projects from concept through scale-up and commercial launch.
• Analyze experimental data and prepare technical reports, recommendations, and presentations.
• Investigate and resolve product performance, manufacturing, and customer-related technical issues.
• Identify opportunities for raw material optimization, cost reduction, and continuous improvement while maintaining product quality and performance.
• Stay current with industry trends, competitive technologies, environmental regulations, and emerging raw materials.
• Mentor chemists and other laboratory personnel while promoting safe laboratory practices and technical excellence.
• Maintain accurate laboratory documentation and ensure compliance with company, customer, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Coatings development

Marine coatings

Project management

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry

Master's degree preferred

Job description

RPM Industrial Coatings Group is seeking a Sr. Chemist, Recreational and Marine Coatings to lead R&D for high-performance marine coatings across Pettit and related brands.

You will drive new product development, optimize formulations, and provide technical support to manufacturing, quality, regulatory, and customers. The role demands 5+ years of relevant coatings experience, a chemistry degree (Master's preferred), and hands-on expertise with epoxy, polyurethane, and other resins.