POSITION SUMMARY: The Research Scientist is a member of the R&D Group based in New Hampton, NY (Temp) Montvale, NJ (Perm). They report to the R&D Manager for Balchem's Animal Nutrition and Health business. They will participate in a wide variety of projects, with an emphasis on developing new products. They will be expected to take on challenging technical problems and drive research efforts to produce next-generation and breakthrough products. They will develop the scientific data on the lab, pilot plant and commercial scale to progress projects from ideation to scale-up and commercialization.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: - Provide hands-on support to lab and pilot plant to fulfill R&D functions, including extrusion, granulation, and fluidized bed operation.
- Use expertise in formulation chemistry to create innovative products and improve existing formulations.
- Provide creative ideas for expanding our value and profits to our customers and differentiating our company from the competition.
- Utilize design of experiments (DOE) to systematically explore multivariate design spaces.
- Carefully document projects in an organized and transparent manner.
- Become the internal expert, with deep fundamental knowledge of Balchem's technology such as microencapsulation, spray-drying, agglomeration, and end-use technology rumen-protected nutrients.
- Act as a project manager, anticipating challenges to keep projects moving forward.
- Review the patent and technical literature and alert the organization to technology developments outside of Balchem.
- Work in a multi-disciplinary team to tackle difficult problems harmoniously.
- Communicate effectively and interface with other departments to ensure smooth business flow, including Balchem's Supply Chain and Commercial teams.
- Represent Balchem in industry groups and trade associations.
- Be an external face for Balchem in the technical community; publish articles, file patents, and make presentations at industry association meetings.
- Support product scale-up efforts including infrequent travel to production sites.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS: Combined Education and Experience Requirement:
- For the Research Scientist position, a BS degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Material Science or Food Science with 4+ years of experience is required. For the Senior Scientist position, an MS degree with 4+ years of experience or a PhD degree with 1+ years of experience is required.
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to be a safety champion in a process-related industry. Holds self and others accountable for safe behaviors and works toward goal of zero injuries. Ensure that R&D work is conducted in a safe manner via hazard reviews, SOPs, and appropriate PPE.
- Preferred professional experience in the specialty chemicals, food, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical industries or suppliers to these industries.
- Mastery of chemistry bench skills and knowledge of or experience with material characterization techniques (DSC, rheology, microscopy, texture analysis, etc.).
- Detail-focused working style.
- The ability to quickly learn existing protocols and build new protocols to advance projects as needed.
- Track record of successful technical execution and publication in peer reviewed journal(s) or patents.
- Advanced analytical skills including experiment design (DOE).
- Proficiency in data management and analysis, with experience using relevant tools and software.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience formulating products and the associated material process steps.
- Experience developing polymeric formulations including emulsions
- Knowledge of regulations pertaining to animal feed and experience working in a regulated environment.
- Proven track record of scale up in an industrial setting.
- Project management experience from ideation to scaleup.
The expected salary for this position is $80,000 - $120,000 annually.
