Senior Wood Protection Chemist — R&D Lead

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

Job summary

CPS, Inc. is seeking an experienced senior formulation scientist to lead development and optimization of wood preservation formulations in Greensboro, NC. You will guide experiments, scale-up processes, and collaborate with manufacturing to ensure product performance and regulatory compliance.

The role requires advanced chemistry expertise, hands-on R&D experience, and strong communication skills to translate customer needs into measurable technical objectives.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Wood Science, or related field.
• 5+ years with MS, or 10+ years with BS; PhD candidates with relevant industrial or research experience 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

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

Data interpretation

Project leadership

Chemical safety & regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's or higher in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Wood Science

Tools

Laboratory equipment

Job description

CPS, Inc. is seeking an experienced senior formulation scientist to lead development and optimization of wood preservation formulations in Greensboro, NC. You will guide experiments, scale-up processes, and collaborate with manufacturing to ensure product performance and regulatory compliance.

The role requires advanced chemistry expertise, hands-on R&D experience, and strong communication skills to translate customer needs into measurable technical objectives.