R&d Chemist

Job Title: R&D ChemistJob Description

The R&D Chemist plays a key role in developing, improving, and supporting lubricant and lubricant additive products through hands-on formulation work, quality testing, and technical problem-solving. This position focuses on both long-term development projects and short-term troubleshooting initiatives, ensuring that products meet performance, quality, and regulatory requirements while successfully scaling from the lab to full production.

Responsibilities

• Perform research and development activities, including formulation and re-formulation, to create new products and improve existing formulas.

• Investigate, evaluate, and qualify new raw materials for use in existing and new product formulations.

• Troubleshoot customer product issues and internal batch issues as they arise, providing timely and effective technical solutions.

• Collaborate with operations, customers, and technical support staff to scale up formulations from the laboratory into full operations and production environments.

• Evaluate product performance through testing and analysis, and implement corrective actions to ensure product conformance to specifications and customer requirements.

• Prepare and maintain comprehensive technical documentation for all projects, including regulatory and compliance information, formula and batch records, and quality-related documentation.

• Perform quality testing at all stages of product development and production, and investigate quality concerns using root cause analysis (RCA) to identify and correct issues.

• Maintain up-to-date safety and compliance information related to products, raw materials, and laboratory activities.

• Balance longer-term development projects, such as new products for specific customers or industries, with shorter-term projects focused on troubleshooting and raw material qualification.

• Work effectively as an individual contributor while partnering closely with quality, operations, customers, and technical services teams to support product performance and customer satisfaction.

Essential Skills

• Hands-on experience with formulation chemistry, including developing and re-formulating products.

• Background in lubricants or lubricant additives, with familiarity in industrial lubricants and metalworking fluids.

• Experience in research and development (R&D) within a chemistry or related technical environment.

• Ability to support scale-up activities, transitioning formulas from lab development to production.

• Strong analytical chemistry and wet chemistry skills for evaluating product performance and quality.

• Proven ability to troubleshoot product formulas, customer issues, and batch-related problems.

• Capability to perform root cause analysis (RCA) for quality and performance issues.

• Competence in preparing and maintaining technical, regulatory, compliance, and quality documentation.

• Solid understanding of safety and compliance practices in an R&D and quality laboratory setting.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with industrial lubricants and metalworking fluids in a formulation or R&D capacity.

• Background in lubrication science or lubrication-related products and additives.

• Prior exposure to quality testing processes in both R&D and production environments.

• Ability to manage a mix of long-term development projects and short-term troubleshooting assignments.

• Comfort working as an individual contributor while collaborating closely with cross-functional technical teams.

• Strong communication skills to interact effectively with operations, quality, customers, and technical services.

Work Environment

This role is primarily based in the R&D laboratory, quality laboratory, and adjacent lab office areas used for administrative and documentation tasks. The position follows a first-shift schedule, Monday through Friday, with flexible start and end times to support work-life balance. The R&D Chemist works closely with quality, operations, customers, and technical services teams in a collaborative, technically focused environment. The setting is lab-based, with access to appropriate equipment and support from a strong technical services team, and involves minimal travel. The organization offers attractive benefits and end-of-year bonuses, contributing to a supportive and rewarding work culture.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of New Berlin, WI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $125000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

This company offers a competitive benefits package including health benefits, dental benefits, vision benefits, 401k match, year end bonuses, paid vacation, paid holiday, etc. It is a solid benefits package.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in New Berlin,WI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 16, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.