Senior Chemist

ROLE SUMMARY

Vista Paint is seeking a Senior Chemist to support ongoing product innovation, continuous improvement, and formulation development across our product lines. This role partners closely with the technical team to design experiments, formulate new coatings, and enhance or optimize existing Vista Paint formulations to meet evolving performance, regulatory, and market needs. The Senior Chemist will evaluate materials using established testing standards, generate accurate data, and maintain clear documentation. Strong communication, organization, teamwork, and observational skills are essential. All work must align with Vista Paint’s environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) standards.

Primary Responsibilities

· Develop new products in partnership with the Technical, Quality, Marketing and Manufacturing teams.

· Apply advanced knowledge of coatings formulation, raw materials, and testing practices to design and execute experiments.

· Work independently while also receiving guidance from R&D leadership team to complete project assignments on schedule.

· Contribute ideas and technical insight to ongoing projects across the department.

· Maintain thorough documentation, prepare technical presentations, and communicate findings to the team.

· Identify opportunities for product or process improvements in collaboration with R&D leadership team.

· Plan and support manufacturing scale-ups.

· Manage multiple projects simultaneously.

· Perform product physical and application testing.

· Provide occasional mentorship or direction to other Chemists and Technicians.

· Monitor competitive and industry trends.

· Keep a clean, organized laboratory environment and follow all safety protocols.

· Participate in safety reviews and uphold best practices in all lab operations.

SOFT SKILLS

· Emotional intelligence: Demonstrates self‑awareness, manages personal emotions effectively, and recognizes the emotional cues of others.

· Adaptability: Adjusts smoothly to new priorities, shifting conditions, and evolving expectations.

· Conflict resolution: Approaches disagreements constructively and works toward respectful, mutually beneficial outcomes.

· Coaching and development: Encourages growth in others through thoughtful questioning, active listening, empowerment, and strong relationship‑building.

· Trust building: Creates an environment where team members feel safe, supported, and valued through authenticity, transparency, and compassion.

· Problem‑solving: Identifies root causes, evaluates options, and implements effective, practical solutions.

· Critical thinking: Approaches challenges with a strategic, forward‑looking mindset and generates innovative ideas.

· Time management: Organizes tasks efficiently and allocates time wisely to meet deadlines and priorities.

· Team collaboration: Works cooperatively with colleagues, appreciating diverse viewpoints and leveraging individual strengths toward shared goals.

· Empathy: Shows genuine care for others and understands situations from different perspectives.

· Cultural competence: Engages effectively with people from varied backgrounds and respects different cultural experiences and ways of thinking.

Qualifications

· BS in Chemistry or related discipline and 8 years of experience

· Strong people and cross-functional team management skills

· Ability to interpret technical literature, regulatory documents, and professional publications

· Knowledge of formulation tools, techniques, performance metrics and manufacturing processes

· Proficiency with advanced mathematical concepts, including statistical analysis, DOE, and multivariable problem‑solving

· Skilled in Microsoft Office tools

· Excellent communication, presentation & organizational skills.

· Experience with databases, project management tools, and statistical software is beneficial.

Pay: $110,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $110,000 - $125,000