R&T Chemical Technical Professional

Primary Responsibilities

• Maintain excellence in safety, health and environmental practices

• Actively support Albemarle’s safety culture by promoting safe behaviors, complying with material and chemical handling policies, and contributing to continuous improvement of safety practices.

• Complete all required safety training.

• Conduct lab experiments.

• Apply research acumen to independently draft experimental plans and execute to conclusions.

• Contribute intellectually to project technical strategy, analyze experimental ideas from others, and identify opportunities for improvement in the proposed lab studies.

• Able to safely operate, diagnose problems, and perform preventative maintenance on a wide variety of plastic processing equipment and analytical testing instruments.

• Analyze samples with accuracy and precision, detect errors, appropriately document results, and author and follow SOP methods for lab experiments.

• Assist in the scheduling of lab work for yourself and other team members.

• Train and mentor less experienced colleagues.

Physical Requirements

• Demonstrate safe work practices and philosophy. Proactively identify opportunities to improve operations, repetitive tasks, ergonomics and housekeeping.

• Independent and has ability to work alone without supervision. Follow tasks to completion including good housekeeping practices.

• Demonstrated capability to work in a highly collaborative team environment.

• Able to clearly and concisely communicate experimental results and conclusions.

• Able to wear required PPE, lift up to 50 lbs (over 50 with assistance) with necessary assistance, and stand/walk for long periods of time

• Standing for ~6 hours/shift

• Required to be able to climb a 6’ ladder, to safely navigate stairwells using handrails at all times

• Safely operate hand tools, power tools, and compressed gas cylinders

• Feel confident to operate large machinery, such as extruders, injection molding machines, Brabender mixing bowls, and fork lifts (with specialized training).

• Operate very hot process equipment while using the appropriate engineering controls and PPE.

• Willing to work overtime if necessary

Education and Experience Requirements

• Associates or higher degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) field is desired; however, two years of directly relevant experience or five years of related experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.

• Experience conducting lab work is required.

• Extrusion, compounding, injection molding and plastics testing experience is desired.

• Experience using SAP, Microsoft Office, Teams, and LIMS software is desired.

• Strong strategic thinking and analytical problem-solving skills.

• Ability to balance individual and team responsibilities.

• Highly organized and excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Chemicals and equipment to work with:

• Polymers and resins

• Additives for plastics including fire retardants

• Organic solvents (for example acetone or xylenes)

• Mixing and handling of powders

• Work in labs adjacent to other chemical hazards including bromine and organic solvents

• Hot resins and/or flaming test bars

• Equipment that gives off high radiant heat

• Rotating equipment and/or injection molding machines

• Compressed gas cylinders and cryogenic materials such as liquid nitrogen

Location:

Process Development Center, Baton Rouge, LA