Sr. Chemist

RPM Industrial Coatings Group is home to 11 industry-leading coatings and finishing brands. Our dynamic portfolio includes liquid coatings, powder coatings, touch-up and repair products, sundries, adjuvants, and much more. You’ll find our products around the globe in industries from architecture and automotive to farming, forestry, marine, and more. RPM Industrial Coatings Group is part of RPM International Inc., a $7.3 billion global company with subsidiaries that are market and industry leaders in specialty coatings, sealants, building materials, and related services.

Pettit Marine Paint manufactures and markets a complete line of high-performance, American-made marine coatings. Pettit's name is recognized worldwide as a leader in the marine industry, with a reputation based on results—our products outperform all other major brands time and again. We're committed to keeping your boat protected and beautiful by providing long-lasting, quality products that let you spend less time maintaining your boat and more time enjoying it. From topside paints to antifoulant bottom paints and everything in-between, Pettit's products have you covered.

About the role

The Sr. Chemist, Recreational and Marine Coatings is responsible for leading the research, development, and optimization of high-performance coating technologies across MRT’s recreational coatings portfolio, with primary emphasis on marine applications under Pettit and secondary support for aquatics applications under Ramuc and Tuff Coat. This role drives projects from concept through commercialization while collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver coating solutions that meet demanding performance, environmental, and customer requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the formulation, development, and testing of marine recreational coating systems across marine and aquatic applications, including anti-fouling/fouling-release coatings, primers, anti-corrosion coatings, topside systems, and protective finishes, while also supporting pool, deck, and other recreational surface coatings as needed.
• Design and execute laboratory experiments to evaluate coating performance, durability, adhesion, corrosion resistance, weatherability, chemical resistance, application properties, and suitability for marine and aquatic environments.
• Manage new product development projects from concept through scale-up and commercial launch.
• Analyze experimental data and prepare technical reports, recommendations, and presentations.
• Investigate and resolve product performance, manufacturing, and customer-related technical issues.
• Identify opportunities for raw material optimization, cost reduction, and continuous improvement while maintaining product quality and performance.
• Stay current with industry trends, competitive technologies, environmental regulations, and emerging raw materials.
• Mentor chemists and other laboratory personnel while promoting safe laboratory practices and technical excellence.
• Maintain accurate laboratory documentation and ensure compliance with company, customer, and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related scientific discipline; Master’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of related work experience, preferably in marine, recreational, industrial, or protective coatings.
• Strong knowledge of epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic, alkyd, and other resin technologies.
• Experience supporting product scale-up and manufacturing processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with anti-fouling/fouling-release technologies and marine/aquatic recreational coating performance requirements.
• Knowledge of EPA FIFRA registrations and testing for biocide products.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while leading cross-functional development efforts.