Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC is accepting applications for a Chemist in the Rubber and Plastics Laboratory, Research and Development Department.

Job Summary: Responsible for formulating, compounding, mixing, and testing of compounds for all segments of rubber, plastics, and polyurethane foam industries. Assist in the development of technical data and the writing of Laboratory Reports, Technical Data Sheets and other promotional literature. Provide technical support to customers and make technical presentations as required (including customer visits as needed).

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Perform formulating, compounding, mixing, and testing of compounds for all segments of the rubber, plastics, and polyurethane foam industries.
• Write Laboratory Reports as required.
• Provide technical support to customers, sales force, and other internal departments.
• Assist in the preparation of technical literature.
• Make technical presentations as necessary, including customer visits.
• Assist in the development of technical data to support sales of new and existing products.
• Follow all Rubber & Plastics Laboratory quality system procedures for ISO-9001 and make suggestions to improve those procedure

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in science or engineering.
• Good written and verbal skills required.
• 2-5 years experience preferred, interaction with customers a plus.

Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC is accepting applications for a Senior Level Research Chemist in the Research & Development Department.

Job Summary: Responsible for executing laboratory research towards developing new product candidates, which are intended for manufacture primarily at our chemical plants and secondarily toll-manufactured.  Considers all available information in identifying new product candidates such as manufacturing capability, cost of raw materials, safety factors, hazard of synthesis, and other chemical information.  Also responsible for supporting process improvements, evaluating candidates for patent consideration, and coordinating patenting efforts.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develop new antioxidants, anti-wear/EP additives, corrosion inhibitors, rust inhibitors, friction modifiers, and organometallic compounds intended for production at Vanderbilt Chemicals’ plants or designated toll-manufacturers.
• Perform literature, patent, and electronic database searches to develop novel strategies for new additive products or technologies that solve critical petroleum industry needs in oxidation and deposit control, fuel economy, next generation e-mobility concerns, and overall lubricant robustness and durability.
• Support process improvement, reaction scale up, laboratory sample preparation, process optimization and new product development initiatives for Vanderbilt’s business, manufacturing and tolling sites.
• Provide expertise for working with 1 Liter pressure (Parr) reactors. Manage all aspects of pressure reactor set-up, maintenance, and safety.
• Work independently and in collaboration with other chemists and engineers to develop new technologies and improve existing products/manufacturing processes.
• Execute laboratory syntheses in support of new ideas and collaborate with the Petroleum Applications and Analytical Groups to evaluate candidates for suitability and effectiveness.
• File patents on promising new technologies that are identified. Provide support for product risk and regulatory issues. Write internal technical reports on progress of projects.
• Prepare and present papers at industry technical conferences and select customers when requested by business and sales.
• In accordance with the Company’s ISO 9001 protocols and procedures, maintain laboratory equipment, instruments, and notebooks; manage documentation for research projects including New Product Profiles, Design Plans, and Business Cases; and participate in annual internal and external audits for research and development activities.
• Via the Company’s Integrated Business Planning Process, steward new technologies from bench-scale to pilot plant and eventually commercialization.

Job Requirements:

• Ph. D. in Synthetic Organic or Organometallic Chemistry (both preferred)
• Additional post-doctoral or work experience (5-10 years)
• Previous experience in using high pressure systems (Parr reactors) for synthetic transformations strongly preferred
• Process development and scale-up skills preferred
• Excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills

Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC is accepting applications for a Process Engineer in the Bethel, Connecticut Plant.

JOB SUMMARY:

Responsible for supporting process engineering, commercial development, and technology transfer activities under the direction of the Director of Process Development & Engineering.  Also responsible for assisting R&D, Manufacturing, Supply in bringing new products, processes, raw materials successfully through the Pilot Plant and helping with scale up to commercial sizes.  Other responsibilities include helping to manage pilot plant operations, aiding our manufacturing facilities with process studies and troubleshooting, and other activities as needed.

This position is primarily located at the Pilot Plant and manufacturing facility in Bethel; however, some portion of the time will be spent in Norwalk or Murray as needed.  Travel should be less than 10% of the time.

Duties/Responsibilities:

1. Assist production on various plant engineering or process issues.
1. Ensure that ISO 9001 quality system procedures are followed in the Process Development and Process Engineering Laboratories, and in the Pilot Plant, where appropriate.
2. Maintain Plant and Pilot Plant batch sheets, SPIs, recipes, and BOMs.
3. Participate in PSM required activities, such as MOCs and PHAs.
2. Assist manufacturing plants and R&D in identifying opportunities for improvement
1. Will require Process Lab and Pilot Plant trials
2. Will require reporting on findings from trials and capturing any process bottlenecks or issues
3. Will require testing, analyzing, and implementing process improvements
3. Manage the pilot plant including general laboratory operation, routine equipment, and reactor maintenance, configuring equipment for new processes, and implementing and following appropriate safety protocols.
4. Assist R&D in developing a plan to upgrade the pilot plant including the purchase, set up, routine operation and maintenance of a Parr reactor planned for purchase in 2022, and further equipment and reactor upgrades planned in the future.
5. Requires collaboration with R&D process and research chemists to transfer small scale laboratory preparation to large scale pilot plant processes suitable for eventual use in production at either Bethel, Murray, or a tolling partner.
6. Assist R&D by helping to prioritize Process Development, Process Engineering and Pilot Plant projects, consulting with Manufacturing, Sales, R&D and Corporate when necessary.
7. Work closely with Research & Development to successfully scale up from the lab scale to the Pilot Plant and then to production scale.
8. Assist Manufacturing and R&D in troubleshooting, stress testing, and improving existing and new processes by managing batches in the Pilot Plant and Process Lab.
1. Will require developing troubleshooting guidelines for processes
2. Will require developing stress testing scenarios to identify process cliffs and troubleshooting guides using various tools such as in-process tests
9. Assist Purchasing in evaluating raw materials
1. Will require working with Purchasing Personnel in understanding lot to lot variation and the impact on quality

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

1. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (Chemistry degree with significant engineering training and plant experience may substitute)
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