Product Development Chemist, IOR

Summary

The Product Development Chemist leads new product development initiatives in support of Imperative Chemical Partners' Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) business. This role works cross-functionally with product line managers, chemical engineers, lab personnel, and technical leadership to develop, test, and commercialize chemical solutions that drive measurable business outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Product Development

• Lead new product development projects for IOR applications from concept through commercialization, ensuring timely delivery of project objectives.
• Design and execute complex chemical synthesis and formulation strategies tailored to IOR production challenges including surfactants, polymer systems, microemulsions, conformance chemicals, and related chemistries.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data and propose innovative solutions to technical and formulation challenges.
• Continuously evaluate the ICP product and raw material portfolio to identify opportunities for optimization, cost reduction, and performance improvement.

• Technical Expertise

• Apply working knowledge of EOR and IOR mechanisms to develop products that perform under real field conditions.
• Stay current on emerging chemistries, regulatory requirements, and industry trends in IOR, EOR, and production chemicals.
• Support the evaluation and testing of new chemical technologies in collaboration with the IOR lab team.
• Respond to new product development requests submitted by the IOR business team with urgency and technical rigor.

• Collaboration and Communication

• Work cross-functionally with product line managers, chemical engineers, lab personnel, and technical leadership.
• Serve as a technical resource across collaborative teams.
• Clearly communicate research findings, project status, and technical recommendations to internal stakeholders and, when applicable, external partners.
• Partner with the Technology Lab at the Hempstead facility and maintain alignment with broader Technology team goals.

• Intellectual Property and Documentation

• Contribute to the identification and protection of intellectual property through invention disclosures and patent application support.
• Maintain accurate and thorough documentation of experimental procedures, results, and product development records.
• Ensure all activities comply with safety standards, regulatory requirements, and ICP protocols.

• Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities for process optimization and efficiency improvements within product development workflows.
• Participate in ongoing training and development to deepen technical expertise and contribute to team capability.
• Responsible for performing job duties in compliance with RCRA hazardous waste requirements, including proper handling, labeling, storage, and management of hazardous waste in accordance with applicable procedures and training.

Required Education, Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field with at least 10 years of relevant industry experience.

• Demonstrated experience in product development and chemical formulation within the oilfield chemicals industry.

• Strong knowledge of IOR/EOR chemistries and their application in production and midstream environments.

• Proven experience in experimental design, chemical synthesis, purification techniques, and characterization methods.

• Proficient in standard laboratory equipment, instrumentation, and scientific software tools.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data and propose actionable solutions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to present findings clearly to cross-functional audiences.

• Self-motivated and results-oriented with a bias for action and a strong process focus.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products.

Prioritized Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.

• Experience with EOR-specific chemistries such as surfactants, polymers, microemulsions, or conformance systems.

• Background with frac chemistry, completion chemicals, or adjacent oilfield service chemistry.

• Familiarity with ICP's product and raw material portfolio.

• Experience contributing to intellectual property development, invention disclosures, or patent filings.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Must complete and pass all required pre-employment screenings.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Imperative Chemical Partners is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national or ethnic origin, veteran or disability status.