R&D Scientist - Synthetic Polymer Chemist

Who are we looking for?

The Synthetic Polymer Chemist is responsible for the design, synthesis and development of innovative polymer materials for the Electrolube® brand including coatings, potting compounds and thermal interface materials. The role will focus on advancing polyurethane and UV-curable technologies from concept through to commercialisation, delivering products that meet customer, manufacturing, and business requirements. Working within a multidisciplinary R&D team, the successful candidate will apply strong scientific expertise, experimental design, and problem-solving skills to develop high-performance materials, support manufacturing scale-up, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and contribute to the company's innovation strategy and growth objectives.

What will you be doing?

• Design, synthesise, and develop novel polymer systems for advanced coatings, potting compounds, encapsulants, and thermal interface materials.
• Formulate and optimise polyurethane, UV-curable, and other thermoset polymer technologies to meet customer and application requirements.
• Lead laboratory-scale development projects from concept through to scale-up and commercialisation.
• Develop new resin chemistries and formulations to achieve target performance characteristics, including adhesion, flexibility, hardness, chemical resistance, and environmental durability.
• Conduct formulation studies, experimental design, and performance testing to understand structure-property relationships and drive product improvement.
• Investigate and resolve formulation, processing, and manufacturing challenges through scientific problem-solving and root cause analysis.
• Collaborate closely with application engineers, manufacturing teams, quality teams, and customers to develop products that meet market needs.
• Evaluate new raw materials, technologies, and suppliers to support innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support product scale-up activities, including pilot trials, process validation, and manufacturing implementation.
• Generate technical reports, test protocols, and development summaries to communicate project progress and recommendations.
• Ensure all laboratory work is conducted safely and in compliance with company policies, regulatory requirements, and environmental standards.
• Provide technical guidance and expertise in polymer chemistry across the business.

Who are You?

• PhD, MSc, or BSc in Polymer Chemistry, Materials Science, Organic Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• Proven industrial experience in synthetic polymer development and formulation.
• Strong background in polyurethane chemistry, including formulation and performance optimisation.
• Hands-on experience developing and formulating UV-curable materials, including acrylate and/or cationic systems.
• Experience in coatings, potting compounds, encapsulants, adhesives, sealants, thermal interface materials, or related polymer technologies.
• Knowledge of polymer synthesis techniques, curing mechanisms, and material characterisation methods.
• Experience taking products from laboratory development through scale-up and manufacturing.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and work effectively in cross-functional teams.
• Experience contributing to Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.
• IT literate and proficient in Microsoft Office applications and capable of effectively managing experimental data, technical reports and presentations.  Experience of Design of Experiments and statistical analysis tools is desirable.
• Knowledge of electronic materials and applications in electronics protection and thermal management, along with familiarity with regulatory requirements relating to chemical products and raw materials are desirable.

We understand that not all candidates may meet the requirements listed above.  If you believe you have the knowledge and experience necessary to excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.

What competencies will you need?

• Curious and forward thinking, with the ability to challenge existing methods and identify opportunities for improvement.
• A strong commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence within R&D and manufacturing environments.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while maintaining high levels of productivity and accountability.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing business priorities, customer requirements, technical challenges and project set-backs.
• Identifies root causes of technical issues and develops practical solutions.
• Ability to manage projects in a fast-paced R&D environment.
• Confidence with presenting project updates and recommendations to stakeholders.
• Balances technical performance with cost, manufacturing and commercial viability.
• A passion for scientific learning and professional development, staying up to date with advances in polymer chemistry, materials science and industry trends.
• Ability to mentor and support junior scientists, technicians, and project team members.  

We are Offering...

Challenge Yourself and Impact the Future - as part of our team here, for this role, we are offering a salary starting from £48,770 per annum, you will also participate in a generous performance related bonus scheme.  In addition, you will receive a company pension, life assurance, a health cash plan, and training and development, as well as 25 days holiday a year plus bank holidays.  The Ashby site is situated close to the main motorway links and amenities; there is also free onsite parking.

Career Growth - we provide a challenging, but rewarding experience to our people - you will have an opportunity to learn, grow and contribute from your very first day.  Our teams play an important role enabling technological breakthroughs in high growth industries around the world.  We continuously invest in technologies and extensive learning and development tools which provide opportunities to challenge, develop and nurture your career. #LI-IF1