Sr. Surface Treatment Chemist

Quaker Houghton; Michigan; On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Savings plan

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Quaker Houghton seeks a chemist to drive formulation changes, material substitutions, and cost-optimization alongside R&D and manufacturing teams to ensure robust, high-quality products. The role includes development of incremental products, rigorous lab testing, documentation, and scale-up support for pilot runs and production shifts.

You will collaborate with procurement and technical service to implement changes smoothly while pursuing continuous efficiency and sustainability improvements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• 2–7 years of experience in formulation, product development, or applied chemistry.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results on time.

Responsibilities

• Formulation Adjustments — Modify existing formulations to improve performance, reduce cost, or address supply-chain changes.
• Raw Material Qualification — Evaluate alternative suppliers, test new raw materials, and ensure compatibility with existing products.
• Simple Product Development — Develop incremental or derivative products based on customer needs or market gaps.
• Lab Testing & Validation — Conduct performance testing, stability studies, and application evaluations.
• Documentation — Maintain formulation records, test reports, and SOPs in compliance with internal quality systems.
• Scale-Up Support — Assist manufacturing teams during pilot runs and production scale-ups.
• Troubleshooting — Investigate formulation issues, quality deviations, or customer complaints.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration — Work with procurement, operations, and technical service to ensure smooth implementation of formulation changes.
• Continuous Improvement — Identify opportunities to streamline formulations, reduce complexity, or improve sustainability.

Skills

Formulation changes

Raw-material evaluation

Application testing

Performance validation

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field

Job description

This role focuses on formulation changes, raw-material substitutions, cost-optimization, and simple new-product development, ensuring product performance, quality, and manufacturability. The chemist will work closely with R&D, manufacturing, procurement, and technical service teams to maintain product robustness and accelerate development timelines.

Responsibilities

• Formulation Adjustments — Modify existing formulations to improve performance, reduce cost, or address supply-chain changes.
• Raw Material Qualification — Evaluate alternative suppliers, test new raw materials, and ensure compatibility with existing products.
• Simple Product Development — Develop incremental or derivative products based on customer needs or market gaps.
• Lab Testing & Validation — Conduct performance testing, stability studies, and application evaluations.
• Documentation — Maintain formulation records, test reports, and SOPs in compliance with internal quality systems.
• Scale-Up Support — Assist manufacturing teams during pilot runs and production scale-ups.
• Troubleshooting — Investigate formulation issues, quality deviations, or customer complaints.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration — Work with procurement, operations, and technical service to ensure smooth implementation of formulation changes.
• Continuous Improvement — Identify opportunities to streamline formulations, reduce complexity, or improve sustainability.

Qualification

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• 2–7 years of experience in formulation, product development, or applied chemistry.

Hands-on experience with

• Formulation changes and optimization
• Raw-material evaluation and substitution
• Application testing and performance validation
• Strong understanding of chemical interactions, stability, and compatibility.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results on time.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

Work in a laboratory and administrative office setting, w/ some travel as required. Ensure a safety mindset throughout designated area of responsibility. While performing the duties of this job the employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts. The associate must be able to safely work in a variety of potentially hazardous situations. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to carefully, and precisely manipulate samples, apparatus, and sensitive instruments. The employee is frequently required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to walk sit and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, or no more than local or country regulations allow. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

About Us

At Quaker Houghton, we are experts in the development, production and application of industrial process fluids, lubricants and coatings for the manufacturing industry. We have been an integral part in the growth of the world’s largest industrial and manufacturing companies from aerospace and automotive to primary metal and energy. Today, we have a global presence, with our corporate headquarters located in Conshohocken, PA. Quaker Houghton is a global publicly traded company with a unique collaborative culture that supports career growth for its associates and offers competitive compensation and benefit programs.

What's in it for you

• Competitive pay programs with excellent career growth trajectory
• Paid time off for volunteerism
• Dress for your day; how you dress is determined by what your day may bring
• Opportunity to participate in comprehensive benefit options including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Parental Leave, Holiday Pay, Paid Time Off, Tuition Reimbursement, and Savings Plan
• Work for a global leader in the industrial process fluids industry

Quaker Houghton provides equal employment opportunity for all qualified candidates. Quaker Houghton does not discriminate against any candidate for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, veteran’s status, physical/mental disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by U.S federal, state, and/or local employment law. Furthermore, Quaker Houghton is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates with physical and/or mental disabilities.