Research Scientist/Senior Scientist

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Balchem is committed to making the world a healthier place by delivering trusted, innovative, and science-based solutions for the health and nutritional needs of the world. Balchem employs approximately 1,400 employees worldwide who provide the service, quality, and technology that enables our customers to win with their customers. We have built a reputation for delivering results to all of our stakeholders. Founded in 1967, Balchem, a Maryland corporation, became a publicly-traded company in 1970 and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “BCPC.” Our corporate headquarters is located in Montvale, New Jersey, and we have a broad network of sales offices, manufacturing sites, and R&D centers, primarily located in the U.S. and Europe. The Company consists of three business segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Research Scientist is a member of the R&D Group based in New Hampton, NY (Temp) Montvale, NJ (Perm). They report to the R&D Manager for Balchem’s Animal Nutrition and Health business. They will participate in a wide variety of projects, with an emphasis on developing new products. They will be expected to take on challenging technical problems and drive research efforts to produce next-generation and breakthrough products. They will develop the scientific data on the lab, pilot plant and commercial scale to progress projects from ideation to scale-up and commercialization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide hands-on support to lab and pilot plant to fulfill R&D functions, including extrusion, granulation, and fluidized bed operation.
• Use expertise in formulation chemistry to create innovative products and improve existing formulations.
• Provide creative ideas for expanding our value and profits to our customers and differentiating our company from the competition.
• Utilize design of experiments (DOE) to systematically explore multivariate design spaces.
• Carefully document projects in an organized and transparent manner.
• Become the internal expert, with deep fundamental knowledge of Balchem’s technology such as microencapsulation, spray-drying, agglomeration, and end-use technology rumen-protected nutrients.
• Act as a project manager, anticipating challenges to keep projects moving forward.
• Review the patent and technical literature and alert the organization to technology developments outside of Balchem.
• Work in a multi-disciplinary team to tackle difficult problems harmoniously.
• Communicate effectively and interface with other departments to ensure smooth business flow, including Balchem’s Supply Chain and Commercial teams.
• Represent Balchem in industry groups and trade associations.
• Be an external face for Balchem in the technical community; publish articles, file patents, and make presentations at industry association meetings.
• Support product scale-up efforts including infrequent travel to production sites.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

Combined Education and Experience Requirement:

• For the Research Scientist position, a BS degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Material Science or Food Science with 4+ years of experience is required. For the Senior Scientist position, an MS degree with 4+ years of experience or a PhD degree with 1+ years of experience is required.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to be a safety champion in a process-related industry. Holds self and others accountable for safe behaviors and works toward goal of zero injuries. Ensure that R&D work is conducted in a safe manner via hazard reviews, SOPs, and appropriate PPE.
• Preferred professional experience in the specialty chemicals, food, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical industries or suppliers to these industries.
• Mastery of chemistry bench skills and knowledge of or experience with material characterization techniques (DSC, rheology, microscopy, texture analysis, etc.).
• Detail-focused working style.
• The ability to quickly learn existing protocols and build new protocols to advance projects as needed.
• Track record of successful technical execution and publication in peer reviewed journal(s) or patents.
• Advanced analytical skills including experiment design (DOE).
• Proficiency in data management and analysis, with experience using relevant tools and software.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience formulating products and the associated material process steps.
• Experience developing polymeric formulations including emulsions
• Knowledge of regulations pertaining to animal feed and experience working in a regulated environment.
• Proven track record of scale up in an industrial setting.
• Project management experience from ideation to scaleup.

Balchem is committed to a workplace culture that values and promotes diversity, inclusion, equal employment opportunities, and a work environment free of harassment and hostility.

The expected salary for this position is $80,000 - $120,000 annually.