Job Description

Research & Development Chemist

Location: New Berlin, WI

Employment Type: Direct Hire

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Salary: $100,000–$125,000 annually, depending on experience

Position Summary

Kelly Services is seeking an experienced Research & Development Chemist to lead the development, formulation, optimization, and technical support of specialty lubricant products.

This position will focus on developing new lubricant formulations, improving existing products, evaluating alternative raw materials, troubleshooting technical issues, and supporting continuous product improvement. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience with lubricant chemistry, formulation, base oils, additive technology, tribology, and analytical testing .

The R&D Chemist will collaborate closely with Quality, Technical, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Sales, suppliers, and customers to ensure products meet performance, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new industrial lubricant formulations to support product portfolio growth and emerging customer and market requirements.
• Optimize existing formulations to improve performance, stability, reliability, manufacturability, and cost effectiveness.
• Evaluate alternative and second-source raw materials to improve supply-chain flexibility and cost competitiveness.
• Conduct laboratory testing, competitive benchmarking, and comparative product evaluations.
• Analyze experimental data and make technical recommendations based on test results.
• Partner with additive suppliers and technical experts to troubleshoot formulation challenges and evaluate new technologies.
• Evaluate lubricant performance, compatibility, stability, storage characteristics, and manufacturing robustness.
• Investigate product failures, customer complaints, and out-of-specification results and recommend corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate formulations, formulation history, development records, test results, and technical documentation.
• Develop and maintain Master Batch Sheets, manufacturing instructions, product specifications, technical data sheets, and laboratory documentation.
• Support Quality Control testing and investigations as needed, including root-cause analysis and abnormal laboratory results.
• Mentor and train laboratory personnel on test methods, equipment operation, laboratory procedures, and safe work practices.
• Support statistical quality control, interlaboratory testing, test-method assessments, equipment calibration, and laboratory performance evaluations.
• Provide technical support to Manufacturing during production trials, first production batches, formulation changes, and process troubleshooting.
• Investigate manufacturing deviations and recommend formulation or process improvements.
• Collaborate with Sales and Technical Service on customer trials, product evaluations, technical requirements, and troubleshooting.
• Assist with customer complaint investigations and product-performance concerns.
• Participate in quality-system and ISO audits, corrective and preventive actions, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Maintain compliance with laboratory, chemical-handling, environmental, health, safety, and quality procedures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Chemistry or a related science .
• Minimum 10 years of laboratory experience , including at least 5 years of hands-on product development/formulation experience in lubricants or a closely related specialty-chemical industry.
• Strong knowledge of industrial lubricant chemistry and formulation .
• Demonstrated experience developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting lubricant formulations.
• Strong understanding of base oils, additive chemistry, formulation interactions, and lubricant performance characteristics .
• Experience with ASTM and other standard lubricant test methods .
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, experimental-design, and data-interpretation skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail with a strong commitment to data integrity, quality, and laboratory safety.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced R&D Chemist to take a hands-on role in the development and optimization of specialty lubricant products , while partnering with multiple technical and business functions to drive product performance, innovation, and continuous improvement.

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