As the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, H.B. Fuller’s (NYSE: FUL) innovative, functional coatings, adhesives and sealants enhance the quality, safety and performance of products people use every day. Founded in 1887, with 2025 revenue of $3.5 billion, our mission to Connect What Matters is brought to life by more than 7,100 global team members who collaborate with customers across more than 30 market segments in 150 countries to develop highly specified solutions that enable customers to bring world-changing innovations to their end markets. Learn more at www.hbfuller.com.
Position Overview
H.B. Fuller is seeking a Senior R&D Scientist to lead the development of sustainable barrier coating technologies for paper-based packaging. This role drives innovation from concept through commercialization, focusing on solutions that support recyclable and renewable packaging. The position collaborates across research, business, and external partner networks to deliver market-ready technologies.
Primary Responsibilities
- Lead development of water-based barrier coatings for paper packaging.
- Design and execute formulation and validation plans.
- Evaluate bio-based, renewable, and circular-economy materials.
- Develop coatings for moisture, oxygen, grease, and heat-seal performance.
- Support recyclability, repulpability, compostability, and food-contact requirements.
- Monitor industry, supplier, and academic technology trends.
- Collaborate with customers, suppliers, universities, and research partners.
- Contribute to commercialization, innovation roadmaps, and patent activities.
Minimum Requirements
- Advanced degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or related field.
- 8+ years of experience in coating, packaging, or materials development.
- Experience developing barrier coating technologies from concept to scale-up.
- Knowledge of sustainability regulations and packaging compliance requirements.
- Authorization to work in the country of employment.
Preferred Requirements
- Experience with fiber-based packaging alternatives to plastics.
- Knowledge of biopolymers, cellulose derivatives, and sustainable materials.
- Experience with global food-contact regulations.
- Patent development or intellectual property experience.
H.B. Fuller is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proud to have created a collaborative culture where employees around the world are seen, heard, and respected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or marital status or status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected classification.
H.B. Fuller does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with H.B. Fuller, a written service agreement must be executed by Human Resources prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed service agreement, H.B. Fuller shall not be obligated for payment of any fee or compensation.
Skills Required
- Advanced degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or a related field
- 8 or more years of experience in coating, packaging, or materials development
- Experience developing barrier coating technologies from concept through scale-up
- Knowledge of sustainability regulations and packaging compliance requirements
- Authorization to work in the country of employment
- Experience with fiber-based packaging alternatives to plastics
- Knowledge of biopolymers, cellulose derivatives, and sustainable materials
- Experience with global food-contact regulations
- Patent development or intellectual property experience
H.B. Fuller Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about H.B. Fuller and has not been reviewed or approved by H.B. Fuller.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered market-competitive and often characterized as fair for the role rather than top-tier. Positioning appears middle-of-the-market, which feels reasonable for many roles.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness initiatives, and EAP support. Some roles also receive company support that can significantly offset employee-premium costs.
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Retirement Support — The retirement program combines a 401(k) with employer matching and additional non-elective company contributions. This design provides support beyond a standard match to bolster long-term savings.
H.B. Fuller Insights
What We Do
H.B. Fuller is a leading global adhesives provider focusing on perfecting adhesives, sealants and other specialty chemical products to improve products and lives. Your day probably begins and ends with us. Just about everywhere you look – including the windows through which you see and the magazines you read – you’ll find industrial adhesives and sealants produced by H.B. Fuller. Most likely, we made the glue holding together your cereal box, the seals that keep your refrigerator airtight, and the specialty adhesive in your baby’s disposable diaper. While our products are virtually invisible, they play a vital role in ensuring the quality and convenience of modern life. We take pride in working with our customers to add value. At H.B. Fuller, we are committed to connecting what matters, bringing together people, products and processes that answer and solve some of the world's biggest adhesion challenges. Through our reliable, responsive technical service, we create lasting, rewarding connections with customers in the packaging, hygiene, electronic and assembly materials, automotive, paper converting, woodworking, construction, general assembly and consumer goods industries. And, we are committed to building an environment where employees are engaged, challenged and given an opportunity to drive superior results. We firmly believe that our employees drive the success of the company. With long-term, profitable growth as the ultimate goal, we strive to cultivate an environment that offers stimulating and financially rewarding opportunities
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