Senior Wood Preservation Chemist - Formulation Lead

CPS Inc.; Greensboro (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

PTO

401k

Job summary

CPS Inc. in Greensboro, NC, seeks an experienced Formulation R&D leader to spearhead development of wood preservation and protection products.

You will drive hands-on formulation, optimize existing offerings, and support scale‑up and manufacturing with data‑driven decisions. The role requires a strong chemistry or materials background, 5+ years with MS or 10+ with BS, and ability to communicate complex results to technical and non-technical audiences.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Wood Science, or related field.
• 5+ years of relevant industry experience with an MS, or 10+ years with a BS; PhD candidates may also be considered.
• Direct experience with wood preservation or wood protection products preferred.
• Hands‑on formulation development, materials development, or applied chemical R&D experience.
• Experience independently modifying existing formulations and developing new formulations.
• Knowledge of wood structure, degradation mechanisms, preservatives, coatings, or wood protection technologies preferred.
• Experience designing and executing laboratory experiments and interpreting data.
• Experience transitioning formulations from laboratory development to pilot or commercial scale preferred.
• Knowledge of scale‑up, process optimization, manufacturing support, and technology transfer.
• Ability to independently lead technical projects and make data‑driven recommendations.
• Working knowledge of chemical safety, regulatory, and product stewardship requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate with technical and non‑technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize new and existing formulations to meet customer and product performance requirements.
• Adjust raw materials and processing parameters to improve product performance, cost, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.
• Design and execute laboratory formulation studies, stability assessments, and application testing.
• Investigate and troubleshoot formulation, manufacturing, and customer‑related challenges.
• Evaluate and select raw materials based on performance, cost, sustainability, regulatory requirements, and customer needs.
• Support technology transfer from laboratory development through pilot and commercial scale‑up.
• Provide manufacturing support, process optimization, troubleshooting, and commercialization support.
• Independently develop experimental plans, prioritize resources, interpret results, and make technical recommendations.
• Develop or utilize analytical and QC test methods to evaluate physical properties and chemical composition.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records and technical documentation.
• Contribute to patents, technical specifications, and other intellectual property documentation.
• Translate customer needs and performance requirements into measurable technical objectives.
• Present technical findings and recommendations to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Stay current with developments in chemistry, wood science, competitive technologies, scientific literature, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in industry conferences, technical meetings, and trade shows as appropriate.
• Maintain a safe, organized laboratory environment and comply with required training and procedures.

Skills

Formulation development

R&D leadership

Scale-up experience

Data interpretation

Regulatory knowledge

Technical communication

Education

BS in Chemistry or related field (Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Wood Science)

MS preferred for 5+ years experience

Tools

Laboratory formulation equipment

Job description

CPS Inc. in Greensboro, NC, seeks an experienced Formulation R&D leader to spearhead development of wood preservation and protection products.

You will drive hands-on formulation, optimize existing offerings, and support scale‑up and manufacturing with data‑driven decisions. The role requires a strong chemistry or materials background, 5+ years with MS or 10+ with BS, and ability to communicate complex results to technical and non-technical audiences.