Chemist (R&D), Houston

Job Description:

About Us:

ITW Car Care is a division of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), specializing in automotive aftermarket products. The division offers a diverse portfolio of brands such as Rain-X wiper blades, visibility enhancing products, and water repellent treatments, including our 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner. Black Magic to support all your wheel and tire needs including Tire Wet.

Summary:

The ideal candidate will bring a blend of technical and formulation expertise in aftermarket car care product development and strategy. Under the technical collaboration and/or direction of an R&D Leadership, the candidate will develop multiple projects in a fast-paced innovative environment. They are responsible for research, development, technical evaluation and testing of the formulations. This position requires a creative individual with a passion for technical learning and curiosity. The Senior Lead Chemist will spend approximately 50% of their daily activity working at the lab bench to create new products and solve complex technical problems to support the ITW Global Brand's business strategies.

Duties

and

Responsibilities:

Translatescustomerneeds/consumerpaintpointsintoeffectiveproductdesignsandcustomer-driven innovation strategies by partnering with Marketing&Technical Service/Application Engineering.

Identifies, plans, recommends and completes major technical programs leading to innovative applicationsorextensionsofexistingandnewtechnologiesthathavesignificantimpactonthe organization.

Collaboratewithvariousrawmaterialsuppliers/crossfunctionalteamstoresearch,developand create differentiated products and solutions using surfactants, silicone fluid and its derivatives, polymers, and solvents.

Leadformuladevelopment&managetechnicalaspectsofassignedprojectswithinITW'sstage-gate process in conjunction with a project manager.

Clearlyidentifyprojectgoals,productdesignrequirements,technicalapproach,teststrategy,and conduct laboratory evaluations, comparison testing and issue final comprehensive reports.

Conductpatentsearchestomonitorcompetitiveinnovationsandgenerateintellectualpropertyin own area of development in the form of patents, formulation know-how, and trade secrets.

Support the scale-up of formulations from lab scale to mid- and full-size manufacturing batches. Coordinate and work with internal departments on the technology transfer for scale-up, and commercialization,anddeterminetheappropriatedesignandproductspecificationstomaximize ease of manufacturing and customer applications. Knowledge of ISO practice/requirements for manufacturing scaleups will be added advantage.

Provideshort-andlong-termsupportforcurrentproductstomaintainITW'sreputationforquality and performance by qualifying alternative sources of raw materials and validating performance.

Managemultipleprojects/tasksindependentlyandaspartofateamandfullyutilizeanalytical laboratory equipment.

Understand,followandstayabreastofimportantsafety,health,environmental,qualityand regulatory requirements affecting this industry.

Minimalbusinesstravelrequired( Otherdutiesas assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline; Master's degree or higher preferred.

3-5 years of hands-on formulation and product development experience, preferably in consumer-packaged goods, automotive care, coatings, or related applied chemistry industries.

Additional

qualifications

to

help

you

succeed

in

the

role:

Strong understanding of formulation chemistry, ideally including surfactants, silicones, polymers, solvents, or related functional systems.

Experience in physical and chemical characterization of surfaces.

Demonstrated ability to independently design and execute formulation experiments and interpret technical data.

Experience with product performance testing, stability evaluation, and comparative benchmarking.

Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a dynamic, fast-paced R&D environment.

Strong problem-solving skills with a structured, data-driven approach to technical decision-making.

Effective collaborator with experience working in cross-functional, product development teams.

Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate technical results, insights, and recommendations to diverse stakeholders.

High attention to detail, strong ownership mindset, and demonstrated ability to deliver consistent experimental execution.

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues' unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.