Senior Chemist, Industrial Applications - Paints & Coatings

Senior Chemist, Industrial Applications - Paints & Coatings

Job ID: 41991 | Location: Mount Holly, North Carolina, USA | Work Model: Onsite

Clariant is seeking a Senior Chemist to join our Industrial Applications technical team in Mt. Holly, North Carolina, with a primary focus on Paints and Coatings. In this customer-facing role, you will lead application development, identify new product opportunities, and deliver technical solutions that address customer needs and support business growth. Working closely with Sales, Marketing, and global R&D teams, you will translate customer challenges into development projects, evaluate specialty additives in coating formulations, and support the commercialization of new solutions. Our portfolio includes wetting and dispersing agents, emulsifiers, surfactants, defoamers, surface modifiers, and other functional additives that improve coating processing, application, appearance, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead application development projects focused on paints and coatings, translating customer requirements and market needs into technical solutions and new product opportunities.
• Design and execute laboratory experiments to evaluate coating performance, optimize formulations, and demonstrate the benefits of Clariant’s specialty additives.
• Benchmark Clariant products against competitive alternatives and generate technical data to support product differentiation and recommendations.
• Serve as a key technical contact for customers and commercial teams, independently investigating formulation and application challenges and recommending solutions.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing on customer visits, technical demonstrations, product evaluations, and customer trials to support new business development.
• Collaborate with global R&D teams to develop, evaluate, and adapt products for the Americas market and support commercialization.
• Independently manage technical projects from initial customer requirements through laboratory development, validation, and commercialization support.
• Coordinate laboratory testing with technicians and other team members, and provide technical guidance and mentoring to less experienced laboratory personnel.
• Present technical findings to customers and internal stakeholders, and contribute to product positioning, technical literature, customer presentations, and industry events.
• Monitor coatings technologies, regulatory trends, and emerging customer needs, and improve laboratory methods, application testing capabilities, and technical workflows.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry or a related scientific field.

• Minimum of five years of relevant experience in the paints and coatings industry, preferably in application development, performance testing, or customer-facing technical service; seven to ten years preferred.

• Strong knowledge of coatings chemistry, formulation principles, application methods, performance testing, and characterization techniques. Experience with waterborne, architectural, or industrial coatings and functional additives such as surfactants, wetting agents, dispersants, or emulsifiers preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to independently manage technical development projects, troubleshoot customer challenges, and communicate technical recommendations.

• Strong collaboration and presentation skills required; experience supporting commercialization, working with international R&D teams, or mentoring junior technical personnel preferred.

• Ability to work on-site in Mt. Holly, North Carolina, in a hands-on laboratory environment and travel up to 30%, including customer visits and occasional international travel.

• What’s in it for you?

• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurances

• Paid Holidays

• PTO time with a carry-over benefit

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Wellness Program

• EAP Program

• Spending and Savings Accounts

• Life/AD&D Insurance

• Disability Insurance

• Pet Insurance

• Online discount Mall

• Auto/Home Insurance

• Identity Theft Protection

• Legal Services Plan

• Clariant is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected Veteran status, or any other protected class as established by law.

• Clariant Corporation is a Swiss-based global specialty chemicals company, with three business units: Care Chemicals, Catalysts and Adsorbents & Additives. Our purpose is to foster sustainability by offering high-value and high-performance chemical specialties.

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