Chemist
Illinois Tool Works · Houston
Job Description:
About Us:
ITW Car Care is a division of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), specializing in automotive aftermarket products. The division offers a diverse portfolio of brands such as Rain-X wiper blades, visibility enhancing products, and water repellent treatments, including our 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner. Black Magic to support all your wheel and tire needs including Tire Wet.
Summary:
The ideal candidate will bring a blend of technical and formulation expertise in aftermarket car care product development and strategy. Under the technical collaboration and/or direction of an R&D manager, the candidate will develop multiple projects in a fast-paced innovative environment. They are responsible for research, development, technical evaluation and stability testing of the formulations. This position requires a creative individual with a passion for technical learning and curiosity. The R&D Formulation Chemist will spend a minimum of 50% of their daily activity working at the lab bench to create new products and solve complex technical problems to support the ITW Global Brand’s business strategies.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Translates customer needs into effective product designs and customer-driven innovation strategies.
- Develop and optimize formulations that deliver differentiated performance, stability, and consumer-relevant benefits aligned with brand strategy.
- Collaborate with various raw material suppliers to research and create differentiated formulas and coatings.
- Design and execute formulation experiments, including performance testing, stability studies, and comparative benchmarking against competitive products.
- Partner with Brand, Application, Packaging and Process Engineering team to translate technical capabilities into validated product benefits, claims, and consumer-facing messaging.
- Lead formula development and work closely with R&D Project Manager to deliver projects on-time via the new product introduction process.
- Innovate with polymers, silicone oil and its derivatives, surfactants, and solvents in adhesives and coatings to fulfill unmet customer/application needs for developing differentiated products and solutions. Knowledge of ISO practice/requirements for manufacturing scaleups will be added advantage.
- Clearly identify project goals, product design requirements, technical approach, test strategy, and conduct laboratory evaluations, comparison testing and issue final comprehensive reports.
- Experience in inorganic and polymer surface modifications; knowledge of rubber surface coatings is preferred, including both coating formulation and low-pressure, low-volume air-assisted spray coating/atomization
- Conduct patent searches to monitor competitive innovations and generate intellectual property in own area of development in the form of patents, formulation know-how, and trade secrets.
- Support the scale-up of formulations from lab scale to mid- and full-size manufacturing batches. Coordinate and work with internal departments on the technology transfer for scale-up, and commercialization, and determine the appropriate design and product specifications to maximize ease of manufacturing and customer applications.
- Provide short- and long-term support for current products to maintain ITW’s reputation for quality and performance by qualifying alternative sources of raw materials and validating performance.
- Manage multiple projects/tasks independently and as part of a team and fully utilize analytical laboratory equipment.
- Work hands-on in the laboratory, when necessary, and manage the daily activities of a research lab technician(s).
- Understand and stay abreast of important safety and regulatory requirements affecting this industry.
- Adhere to all safety, health, environmental, and quality policies and procedures.
- Minimal business travel required (< 10%)
- Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s degree, or higher, in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering (completed or verified prior to start)
- Minimum five (5) years’ of hands-on formulation and product development experience, preferably in consumer-packaged goods, automotive care, coatings, or related applied chemistry industries.
- undefined
Additional qualifications to help you succeed in the role
- Experience in inorganic and polymer surface modifications; knowledge of rubber surface coatings desired.
- Experience in physical/chemical characterization of surfaces. Knowledge of surface wetting / non-wetting phenomena, knowledge of silicone chemistry a plus.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced innovative environment.
- Ability to work independently and as a contributing team member.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and logical approach to solving scientific problems.
- Detail oriented, flexible, innovative and self-motivated.
- Must demonstrate ability to perform tasks correctly and consistently.
- Willing to collaborate and work in cross-functional teams to advance ideas and projects.
- Strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills are essential with the ability to clearly present ideas to a cross-functional team and manufacturing partners.
Physical Demands
- Frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, and manual handling of laboratory materials and equipment.
- Regular use of hands and fingers for formulation, testing, sample preparation, and operation of laboratory instruments.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds regularly and up to 40 pounds occasionally.
- Ability to wear required PPE, including safety glasses, gloves, lab coats, and other protective equipment as needed.
- Frequent use of visual acuity to conduct experiments, evaluate results, and analyze data.
- Ability to work in laboratory, office, and manufacturing environments with occasional exposure to chemicals, odors, and airborne particles.
- Ability to sit for extended periods while preparing reports, analyzing data, and participating in meetings.
ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.
As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.