Chemist

Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: APOG), was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Apogee is a growing, profitable company with annual revenues approaching $1.5 billion. We provide distinctive metal and glass solutions for enclosing commercial buildings, and glass and acrylic solutions for picture framing and display applications. To learn more visit: www.apog.com.

The Apogee Large Scale Optical segment has grown from $100M to $200M in revenue through a recent acquisition. Our brands in the LSO portfolio develop and manufacture high-performance coated materials for a variety of applications, including wall decor, museums, graphic design, architectural interiors, digital display, and industrial flooring markets. We are the global leader in anti-reflective, conservation grade electrostatic dissipative, high-definition, and abrasion resistance coatings, that provide protection, innovative designs, and exceptional durability.

Position Summary

The Chemist is a vital team member responsible for a range of tasks. This full-time exempt position focuses on the wood, flooring, and energy curable system markets. Primarily, provides technical solutions for energy curable products, air dry curing systems, and stains for the company's Technical Department. This encompasses formulation work, raw material selection, and comprehensive characterization necessary for advancing the company's product line and technical services.

Responsibilities

• Research new technologies that apply to company product development. Maintains awareness of advancements in technology and advises the company as to impact and relevance.
• Provides customer support of chemistry & performance issues to Technical Service Staff
• Develops and approves specifications & quality control limits of all raw materials that will be used in the manufacturing of all new company products. Documents specification in company software. Provides reports and documents detailing project processes, results, and conclusions; recommends additional actions or research.
• Develops new formulated products and enhances existing ones.
• Performs formulation work required to develop new products and reformulation of existing products. Provides feedback, test results, and data regarding the formulation process and recommends modifications to formulas.
• Evaluates and approves raw material offsets.
• Responsible for Customer Support projects assigned by Sales or Management.
• Conducts chemical testing procedures essential for new product development and ensures the quality control and assurance of our products.
• Maintain a lab book and related databases as a means of documenting and providing a written record of testing procedures and observations.
• Involved with supply chain issues to understand historical perspectives and decision-making process.
• Serves as a team member for projects and provides professional technical support to product development, quality control, manufacturing processes, and technical customer service.
• Maintain a close working relationship with all company departments and their members.
• Mix, monitor, test, and balance various chemicals following specified procedures and protocols.
• Other duties as assigned.

Personal Attributes and Experience

• BS degree in chemistry or related science with preference in the coating development market
• 1-5 years' experience preferred.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Familiar with color and color matching software
• Familiar with formulation ERP systems, Batchmaster software is a plus.
• Continually learn more about the product and those application techniques, methods and processes that meet the needs of prospective end-users.
• Learn or possess a working knowledge for energy curable systems with emphasis on wood substrates.
• Learn or possess a working knowledge of water-based air-dried pigmented system for wood applications.
• Strive to maintain conversance with the product's physical properties, chemical composition, manufacturing considerations, difficulties, and costs.
• Maintain a close working relationship with all company departments and their members.
• Demonstrate and promote the concept and advantages of being internally cooperative while externally competitive.
• Actively support all Company policies, with special attention to safety, health, personal bias, and poor conduct issues
• Participate and fully support the company Quality System and any other activities necessary to support the management and effective functioning of the company.
• Attend and participate in all Company-wide meetings, customer coating trials, lectures, and events.
• Ability to understand SDS information and compose all necessary documentation for any new product developed.
• Excellent mathematical skills.
• Understanding of chemical tests and processes.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.

Work Environment

• Office and manufacturing floor setting.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer and standing and working in a laboratory environment.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.
• Exposure to various chemicals and compounds.

Apogee and our brands are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.