Research & Development Specialist

About the role

The Research & Development Specialist will be responsible for driving the benchtop synthesis and formulation of next-generation adhesives and coatings for Avery Dennison’s Label and Graphic Materials (LGM) business. This role is based at the Mill Hall facility and focuses on laboratory-scale polymer development, with oversight of the transition of these formulations through pilot and full production scale-up.

Responsibilities

• Participate in formal new product development and cost-out projects supporting internal customers including commercial PLT, R&D leadership, and downstream coating operations.
• Translate commercial strategies into technical solutions that align with manufacturing and cost constraints.
• Collaborate with other technology/research teams and business units, staying current on new/emerging technologies.
• Proactively scout new raw materials and generate high-impact cost-out ideas for novel polymer development.
• Establish strong communication channels with other internal research groups, especially the Advanced Materials Science team, to ensure seamless integration of other technology platforms into commercial LGM products.
• Lead the technical transition of new formulations from benchtop concepts through pilot-scale and full production runs.
• Partner closely with commercial product managers and PLT to understand market needs, define product requirements, and align laboratory projects with broader business growth strategies.
• Serve as the primary technical resource for internal coating plants, understanding their equipment capabilities to support seamless concept development, production trials, and troubleshooting during product launch.
• Design robust experimental plans (DoE), manage laboratory testing, interpret analytical data, and author clear technical reports and presentations for project teams and internal stakeholders.
• Translate product requirements into actionable work plans and travel up to 20% for production trials, customer discovery, and cross-site collaboration.
• Scope, define, and delegate daily testing protocols and project tasks to the Applications Laboratory staff, and mentor peers in the lab to help transfer knowledge.
• Maintain a strict, proactive commitment to environmental, health, and safety (EHS) standards across both laboratory and manufacturing environments.

Requirements

• Minimum BS/MS in Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related field, with at least 3 years experience in polymer design, synthesis, formulating and scale-up.
• 2+ years of experience in commercial product development, particularly in the acrylic pressure sensitive industry, including high-speed coating and drying, is preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in the application of pressure-sensitive adhesives in the label industry is highly desired.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of statistical design of experiments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Well-developed time management skills with the ability to balance and/or lead multiple projects simultaneously.
• Consistent track record of effective team member roles on multi-functional teams comprised of R&D, Operations, Legal, and Commercial/Customer personnel.
• Ability to foster creativity/innovation while ensuring project progress and lab efficiency.

Qualifications

• Minimum BS/MS in Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related field, with at least 3 years experience in polymer design, synthesis, formulating and scale-up.
• 2+ years of experience in commercial product development, particularly in the acrylic pressure sensitive industry, including high-speed coating and drying, is preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in the application of pressure-sensitive adhesives in the label industry is highly desired.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of statistical design of experiments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Well-developed time management skills with the ability to balance and/or lead multiple projects simultaneously.
• Consistent track record of effective team member roles on multi-functional teams comprised of R&D, Operations, Legal, and Commercial/Customer personnel.
• Ability to foster creativity/innovation while ensuring project progress and lab efficiency.

Benefits

• Health & wellness benefits starting on day 1 of employment
• Paid parental leave
• 401K eligibility
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program eligibility / Health Advocate
• Paid vacation and paid holidays