· Are you a Development Lab Manager with 5 years of experience in a chemical manufacturing environment? 

· Are you seeking to grow further in an established international organization who is expanding their business within North America? 

· Are you looking for an employee centric work environment with high ethical standards and great benefits?

If your answer is "yes", this might be the opportunity for you!

Due to growth in the North American Operations at Beckers we are seeking a confident individual to join the team as our Development Lab Manager in Elk Grove Village, IL.

Who are we?

Beckers is an $800+ million revenue “family-owned” established global industrial coatings company with our North American headquarters located in Elk Grove Village, IL. With 150 years of history, 1,800 devoted employees, 23 production sites in 18 countries Beckers is expanding our operations and seeking team members to help support our growth and mission as we become one of the largest steel coatings manufacturer in the United States. Part of our vision is to also become the world’s most sustainable coatings company. We are convinced we will get there, thanks to the passion, devotion and determination of our global workforce. To learn more about us, please visit https://www.beckers-group.com/en/about-us.

What’s in it for me?

• Aetna/Meritain Health Insurance - $500 deductible ($38.16 bi-weekly single, $123.03 bi-weekly family) or $1500 deductible ($31.31 bi-weekly single, $100.93 bi-weekly family)  

• Dental and Vision through Guardian

• STD, LTD and Life benefits

• Generous Vacation and Sick time available

• Participation in 401(k) plan with company match

• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)

• Health Club partial annual reimbursement available  

Position Overview Lead and direct a team of chemists, engineers, and technicians to meet overall technical targets and support development for the US. Support the region’s marketing and selling effort by resolving technical issues related to Beckers’ coil coating products and services. Meet with customers and suppliers as required to solve technical issues and facilitate communication to satisfy existing customers and obtain new customers to facilitate the overall strategic plan.

Essential Duties/Functions
Essential Duties are those that are critical, integral, necessary, crucial, primary, and/or fundamental to the role.

• Overview activities in the Development team and maintain performance records
• Manage a team as well as specific programs and projects – such as Sustainability, Sourcing Savings, Raw Material Harmonization – required to execute Beckers strategic growth plan
• Work with staff and other functional areas within the company to provide new formulations, modifications to existing formulas, specifications, manufacturing/technical processes as required to assist customers, partners and the strategic business plan.
• Assist in the development and revision of written procedures and work instructions
• Review and update trial and revised status formulations
• Lead the implementation of any new programs, including software, to the lab
• Ensure that products do not give rise to warranty claims
• Manage multiple projects and priorities, including assigning project to the team
• Communicate directly with customers
• Participate in internal meetings, including TC3, and/or industry forums, as needed
• Traveling to customers, conventions, other sites
• Effective participation in introduction and maintaining ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 quality systems

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum BS degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related science discipline. MS or PhD preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a formulation chemist (or equivalent) for paint and/or coatings applied to coil metal products preferred; other coatings (non-prepainted) considered as an alternative.

Minimum Required Training

• Employee must have RCRA hazardous waste training within 6 months of assuming job responsibilities and annually thereafter.
• Employee must complete all online safety training as outlined for the coil lab group.
• Employee must be trained and competent in all applicable ISO laboratory procedures.
• Employee must have training yearly on Emergency planning, including fire safety.
• Employee must be familiar with SWPPP.
• Employee must have DOT training (specific container closure instructions) before preparing shipments for transport.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Must have working knowledge of experimental design and statistical process control. Six sigma training would be an asset.
• Technical service (at customer sites) experience. Extensive building products/construction industry experience with warranted paint and coating formulations; ability to analyze and assess potential claims resulting from process-related problems or formulation deficiencies. Ability to interact with all levels of an organization plan with a strategic, entrepreneurial mindset. Must have excellent communication skills in dealing with customer problems and issues both internally and externally.
• Experience in introduction or maintenance of quality systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001).
• To recognize that health and safety is an obligation of every employee and to take reasonable care of oneself and others and to comply with Beckers Health and Safety policy and any Beckers procedures/rules that apply to the role. All employees have the duty to highlight unsafe conditions and EHS Managers, Officers, Supervisors and above have an obligation to shut down any activity if it is operating in an unsafe condition.

Physical Requirements

• Traveling: ability to sustain potential prolonged period of driving and/or traveling
• Employee must bend, sit, squat, walk, climb, and push/pull heavy objects using appropriate equipment.
• Employee must be able to reach above shoulder level and use fine finger movements.
• Employee may be exposed at times to excessive noise, moving machinery, marked changes in temperature and/or humidity.
• Employee may be exposed to dust, fumes, gases and chemicals.
• Employee must be able to carry/lift loads of up to 50 lbs.
• Employee must be able to distinguish color.

This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder may differ time to time from those outlined in the job description and required training for these other duties will be provided before task is assigned

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.