Development Chemist (at Gelest Inc.)

About the role

Gelest, Inc., part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, is seeking a Development Chemist to join our team in Morrisville, PA. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to our mission of delivering innovative specialty chemical solutions to customers worldwide. The Development Chemist will play a key role in designing, developing, and optimizing chemical processes for specialty chemical products through hands-on synthetic organic chemistry, process development from lab to pilot scale, and data analysis to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing.

You will collaborate closely with Product Development, Engineering, Production, and Quality teams to translate laboratory discoveries into scalable processes that meet business and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design and perform laboratory experiments involving synthetic organic reactions, route evaluation, optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Generate and analyze process data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Scale laboratory processes to pilot and full production, ensuring robust transfer of technology and clear documentation.
• Utilize analytical techniques (GC, NMR, FTIR, MS) to characterize materials, monitor reactions, and assess process performance.
• Document experiments, observations, and recommended improvements in lab notebooks and technical reports.
• Support process hazard assessments, safety reviews, and compliance with environmental, health, and safety regulations.
• Maintain awareness of industry developments, new technologies, and specialty chemical manufacturing best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• 1-3+ years of experience in specialty chemical synthesis, chemical process development, or scale-up preferred.
• Hands-on experience with laboratory techniques and equipment.
• Background in synthetic organic chemistry, including multi-step synthesis and reaction mechanism understanding.
• Experience with process development, including reaction kinetics, heat and mass transfer, mixing, and scale-up considerations.
• Hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation (GC, NMR, FTIR, MS).
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including technical reporting.
• Commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant work environment.
• Ability to wear required PPE (safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hat; respirators as needed).
• Ability to climb ladders and stairs to collect samples and observe processes.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and operate a forklift.

Schedule

Four (4) 10-hour shifts, Monday–Thursday, 12:30 PM – 11:00 PM (2nd shift).

Pay

The salary range for this position is $27.00 (entry level) - $35.00 per hour. Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, job-related skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations may influence base pay offered. This salary will be subject to a geographic adjustment if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and optional supplemental plans for employees and their families
• 401(k) with a competitive company match
• Company-paid Life Insurance, AD&D, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability
• Eligibility for an annual performance bonus
• Company-provided uniforms, work boots, and PPE