Position OverviewWe are seeking an experienced and technically strong Senior Product Specialist to support structural adhesives used in Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glulam, OSB, Plywood, and LVL applications. This role provides deep technical expertise in phenol-formaldehyde (PF), melamine-formaldehyde (MF), and urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin chemistry, supports mill-level manufacturing processes, and serves as a key technical resource for commercial customers. The role will be based in our new lab in Dublin, OH. The Senior Product Specialist works with limited supervision, leads efforts to resolve complex formulation and process issues, and mentors less experienced technical staff.
Job ResponsibilitiesResin Chemistry & Formulation - Formulate, synthesize, and characterize PF, MF, and UF resin systems to meet application requirements, customer priorities, and cost targets.
- Conduct application testing and analytical characterization (e.g., GPC, DSC, viscosity, gel time, solids) to validate formulation performance.
Structural Application Support - Support product development and optimization of structural adhesives used in Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glulam, OSB, Plywood, and LVL applications.
- Evaluate and recommend formulation or process adjustments to meet structural performance standards (e.g., bond strength, moisture resistance, panel testing).
- Partner with R&D to translate structural performance requirements into scalable resin formulations.
- Support the ability to meet relevant industry codes and standards applicable to structural wood product adhesives.
Customer Interactions & Technical Service - Serve as a senior technical point of contact for commercial customers, building strong working relationships through regular communication and technical meetings.
- Lead or support customer trials, field visits, and technical service engagements to ensure product performance meets customer expectations.
- Review and approve customer recipes, balancing quality standards with customer needs.
- Gather and translate customer feedback into actionable input for product development and continuous improvement.
Safety, Documentation & Compliance - Ensure EH&S goals and targets are met and contribute to a strong safety culture.
- Maintain a clean and orderly work area and support chemical inventory and safety objectives.
- Keep accurate records, prepare technical reports, and maintain documentation for compliance and traceability.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related technical field (required); Master's degree a plus.
- 5+ years of experience in resin chemistry, product development, or technical service within the wood products or chemical manufacturing industry.
- Strong working knowledge of PF, MF, and UF resin chemistry, formulation, and application testing.
- Demonstrated experience supporting structural adhesive applications (CLT, Glulam, OSB, Plywood, LVL).
- Familiarity with mill/production processes, batch troubleshooting, and manufacturing scale-up.
- Familiarity with SAP or similar material management systems (recipe maintenance not required).
- Proven ability to manage direct, customer-facing technical relationships, including trials and technical negotiations.
- Ability to work independently, lead complex problem-solving efforts, and mentor less experienced team members.
- Excellent verbal and written communication and project management skills.
- Willingness to travel up to 30% to mill and customer sites.
Preferred Skills- Ability to support relevant industry codes and standards for structural wood product adhesives.
- Knowledge of EH&S regulations relevant to chemical manufacturing and laboratory environments.
- Experience mentoring or providing technical leadership to junior specialists.
- Lean Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement training.
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