Lab Technician / Production – Pigments, Dispersions, Colors

Overview:

Our client is a producer of chemical ingredients including pigments, dispersions, and colors. They are primarily sold to manufacturers of Paints, Coatings, Plastics, and Cosmetic products. We are seeking an experienced Lab Technician or Production Operator, who comes from a plastics background, and has a strong hands-on mindset and a proven ability to build, optimize, and operate laboratory environments. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced setting, takes initiative, and brings both technical expertise and practical problem-solving skills. The ideal candidate has deep experience in pigment and additive masterbatch development and is comfortable engaging directly with customers while helping drive innovation.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Execute formulation, compounding, and testing plastic materials, with a focus on pigment and additive masterbatches
• Operate and maintain lab equipment such as extruders, mixers, spectrophotometers, and testing instruments
• Support lab setup, expansion, and continuous improvement initiatives, including equipment selection and workflow optimization
• Troubleshoot processing and formulation issues, providing practical, data-driven solutions
• Conduct color matching, dispersion analysis, and performance evaluations
• Document formulations, test results, and procedures with accuracy and clarity
• Collaborate with R&D and commercial teams to help scale lab developments into customers’ production
• Interface with customers to understand technical requirements, present findings, and support product development
• Stay informed on industry trends, new materials, and emerging technologies to contribute to innovation

Required Qualifications:

• A college degree is NOT required.
• 3 years of hands-on experience in plastics laboratory or compounding environment
• Direct experience with pigment and additive masterbatch formulation and processing
• Demonstrated involvement in lab setup, startup, or expansion projects
• Familiarity with polymers such as PE, PP, PS, ABS, and engineering resins
• Experience scaling formulations from lab to production
• Knowledge of quality systems and testing standards (ASTM, ISO)
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on efficiency and innovation
• Strong mechanical aptitude and comfort working with processing equipment
• Ability to work independently with a proactive, “doer” mentality
• Experience in color science, dispersion, and polymer performance testing necessary
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage in customer-facing situations
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and documentation skills

The plant and laboratory are located in the Lombard IL area, just a few miles southwest of O’Hare Airport. Hours are 7:30am-4:00pm. For the successful candidate we offer a competitive base salary, 401K with match, health insurance, PTO, and more.