Formulation Process Development Engineer

This role is based at the Corteva Agriscience Global Business Unit site in Indianapolis, Indiana and reports to the technical manager of the Formulation Process Science & Technology Group.

About the role

The Formulation Process Development Engineer works within a team of formulation chemists, analysts, technicians, and Operations personnel to develop process routes to manufacture and scale up existing and emerging novel agrichemical formulations. Key responsibilities include evaluating critical process parameters through experimental design, demonstrating solutions in a scale-up environment, and transferring technology to manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Designing and conducting research activities to enable successful launch of crop protection formulated products (70%):
  • Working with Formulation Scientists to plan and coordinate trials to determine scale-up feasibility.
  • Using Design of Experiment (DoE) to design and conduct experiments to understand key process variables affecting product performance, quality, stability, and manufacturability (e.g., viscosity, particle size, bulk density, dispersion time, suspensibility, emulsion stability).
  • Formulating water-dispersible granules (WDG), oil-dispersions (OD), capsule suspensions (CS), soluble liquids (SL), emulsifiable concentrates (EC), suspension concentrates (SC), baits, etc., for new and existing active molecules.
  • Conducting research and testing to implement practical solutions to formulation manufacturing challenges.
  • Coordinating and planning cross-functional samples for reactive chemistry, packaging compatibility, application studies, and material compatibility.
  • Communicating data-based recommendations to stakeholders to enable successful product launch.
  • Documenting key process considerations and parameters in technical reports.
• Partnering with multidisciplinary teams to plan and support process demonstration trials, provide manufacturing plant support, and launch new formulations (20%):
  • Developing trial plans for manufacturing scale trials.
  • Providing startup support for newly launched formulations.
  • Drafting documentation to capture and transfer learnings from DOE and plant trials.
  • Troubleshooting process issues and providing solutions to manufacturing.
• Producing field trial, regulatory, applications, and other experimental samples at pilot scale (10%):
  • Consolidating sample requests and coordinating procurement of raw materials to produce them.

Requirements

• BS, MS, or PhD in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, material science, or chemistry, plus 4-6 years of relevant industrial or R&D experience (preferred).
• Experience in formulation or chemical process scale-up and/or process development.
• Capability to set up pilot-scale laboratory equipment.
• Ability to work independently and drive projects to completion.

Skills

• Analyzing and interpreting data, report-writing, and clearly communicating data-based process steps and scale-up parameter recommendations.
• Fostering a strong commitment to safety and environmental responsibility.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Ability to successfully partner with team members and stakeholders from multiple backgrounds.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including delivering presentations that distill complex ideas.
• Proactively communicating results and progress to technical teams, supervision, management, and business leadership.
• Ability to travel up to 10%.

Benefits

• Numerous development opportunities to build your skills.
• Health benefits for you and your family starting on your first day of employment.
• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well-being pay per year, plus paid holidays.
• Excellent parental leave, including a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father.
• Competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program.