What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Chemist Protein Technology position at Tri-K Industries, Inc.?
Tri-K Industries is a leading supplier of natural actives—including proteins, peptides, and a comprehensive cosmetic ingredients portfolio—to the global personal care industry. Our state-of-the-art R&D center features advanced equipment and testing facilities. To strengthen our innovation capabilities and maximize customer connectivity, our R&D organization focuses on developing novel ideas, cutting-edge products, and high-efficacy formulations. This senior-level R&D position is based at our facility in Derry, NH.
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly motivated, experienced, and innovative Protein Chemist to join our team. The ideal candidate should have a Ph.D. in Chemistry or at least 3 years of experience in in protein isolation, peptide synthesis, modification, and comprehensive analytical characterization. This role is pivotal in driving our next generation of personal care technologies from concept to commercial launch.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Protocol Development: Design, optimize, and scale robust protein and peptide purification protocols.
- Analytical Characterization: Characterize and analyze biomolecules using advanced techniques, including HPLC, SDS-PAGE, and LC-MS.
- Chemical Modification: Execute chemical reactions to implement strategic peptide and protein modifications.
- Stability & Formulation: Conduct rigorous stability studies and develop target formulations to optimize protein shelf-life and efficacy.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with internal scientists, Technical Marketing, and Sales to build functional blends, support line extensions, and validate marketing claims.
- Market & Tech Intelligence: Evaluate published literature, patents (ensuring "freedom to operate"), competitor positioning, and academic research to identify emerging skin/hair technologies.
- Commercial Support: Provide rapid, succinct technical guidance to the Technical Services and Regulatory teams to resolve complex customer inquiries.
- Lab Stewardship: Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot critical laboratory instrumentation while mentoring junior staff.
- Reporting: Document findings in technical reports and deliver compelling presentations to both internal stakeholders and external clients.
Required Core Competencies
- Advanced Protein Expertise: Deep understanding of protein/peptide behavior to successfully isolate, modify, and purify actives from complex natural matrices.
- Project Management: Proven ability to develop project plans, prioritize workflows, and deliver milestones on time and within budget.
- Strategic Thinker: Ability to translate consumer and market trends into viable, innovative technical pipelines.
- Cross-Functional Agility: Comfort working fluidly across R&D, sales, regulatory, and corporate matrix environments.
- Problem Solving: Strong analytical acumen to navigate ambiguous technical challenges where limited standardization exists
Qualifications & Requirements
- Education and Experience
- Option A: Ph.D. in Protein/Peptide Chemistry, or a closely related field.
- Option B: Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with a minimum of 3–5 years of industrial experience in peptide synthesis, characterization, and purification.
- Language and Communication Skills
- Ability to interpret complex scientific periodicals, patents, professional journals, and regulatory guidelines.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills tailored for technical peers, executive management, and external clients.
- Computer & Software Skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and specialized laboratory data analysis software.
- Familiarity with bioinformatics and structural databases, including NCBI BLAST and the RCSB Protein Data Bank (PDB).
- Physical Demands & Travel
- On-Site Requirement: This position requires working on-site at the Derry, NH R&D center 5 days a week.
- Travel: Up to 15% domestic and international travel (including overnight stays) to support business development efforts and attend industry trade shows