Research & Development Filtration Senior Scientist
Location: Waupaca, WI
Reports To: VP Director of R&D
Employment Status: Full Time
Travel: 5-25%
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday
Benefits: Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance; Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, 401K with matching.
Position Overview
The R&D Filtration Senior Scientist, will help shape the future of filtration technology by turning scientific discoveries into high quality innovative products that solve real customer challenges and live up to Gusmer's Service With Knowledge® motto! You will work closely with colleagues across research, engineering, operations, marketing, and manufacturing, leveraging collaboration to move ideas from concept to commercialization. Through open and effective communication, you'll share technical insights, influence key decisions, and build strong partnerships both inside and outside the organization. If you're passionate about innovation, energized by working with diverse teams, and driven to make a lasting impact through quality science and meaningful customer solutions, we invite you to apply.
Key Responsibilities
Research Expertise
• Lead research and technology development efforts focused on depth-filtration media, materials, performance mechanisms, and emerging filtration technologies.
• Develop and execute scientific research programs, applying rigorous experimental design, statistical analysis, and technical interpretation to solve complex challenges.
• Conduct and oversee laboratory research, testing, and evaluation activities to advance product and technology development objectives.
• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and scientific advancements to identify opportunities for innovation and growth.
Innovation and Product Development
• Generate and champion innovative concepts for new products, applications, and technology platforms that address unmet customer and market needs.
• Translate scientific discoveries into commercially viable solutions through feasibility assessment, prototype development, and product validation.
• Lead the development of research and technology roadmaps that align scientific capabilities with business objectives.
• Evaluate technical, commercial, and operational considerations to advance products from concept through scale-up readiness.
Technical Leadership and Mentoring
• Provide technical leadership for multiple research and development projects, establishing priorities, guiding technical direction, and ensuring successful execution.
• Mentor and support technical team members by providing scientific guidance, technical expertise, and development opportunities.
• Develop technical reports, specifications, presentations, and other documentation that communicate research findings and support decision-making.
• Serve as a trusted scientific resource for internal stakeholders, helping teams evaluate opportunities, solve technical challenges, and achieve project objectives.
Commercialization and Customer Impact
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, Sales, and Applications teams to successfully scale and commercialize new technologies.
• Lead technology transfer and product commercialization activities, ensuring technical readiness, manufacturability, quality, and customer value.
• Partner with customers and application teams to understand technical requirements, evaluate performance needs, and identify new product opportunities.
• Serve as a scientific resource for customers by supporting technical inquiries, product evaluations, application development, and technical training.
• Apply customer insights and market feedback to guide future research initiatives and drive continuous product improvement.
Qualifications
• 5-8 years of progressive industry experience in research and product development involving depth filtration, porous media, material science, separation technologies, specialty papers, engineered composites, or related product platforms. Experience should include designing and executing research programs, interpreting complex experimental data, developing new concepts and prototypes, and advancing technologies through development and scale-up readiness. Demonstrated contributions to commercially launched products are strongly preferred.
• Master's degree in chemistry, material science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, biology, microbiology, or another technical discipline relevant to filtration, porous materials, or separation technologies preferred.
Work Environment
This position typically functions in business environment and lab environments with occasional trips into the warehouse, and production areas. There will be exposure to moderate noise levels, fumes, dust, chemicals, heat/cold, and allergens especially in the warehouse, and production environments.
