Associate Product Development Scientist

Principal Accountabilities/ Responsibilities:

• Participate as a member of the Product Development team; execute projects in timely diligent safe and professional manner and contribute to the growth of the team and department.
• Design new products and product improvements to meet business and consumer needs.
• Develop new and improved materials and technologies with suppliers and ensure all new raw materials obtain proper safety testing and clearance.
• Use basic Design of Experiments (DOE) techniques to develop experimental plans.
• Support the existing business product cost improvements through product redesigns.
• Provide technical support to reduce consumer complaints.
• Support corporate proprietary technology by documenting and patenting novel ideas.
• Develop new test methods to better predict and understand product performance in use.
• Work with more senior scientist or manager to help set project objectives.
• Coach and develop indirect reports to enhance team performance towards department objectives.

Education and experience requirements:

• Four-year technical degree (e.g. Chemistry Chemical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Material Science Engineering) or equivalent; additional business studies preferred.
• 3 years in R&D inventing developing and implementing new products.
• Knowledge of and experience with developing product systems for the retail market preferably hygiene products.
• Knowledge of materials used in retail absorbent products (e.g. pulp super absorbent polymers nonwovens).
• Working knowledge of consumer product converting technologies for pulp paper and nonwoven materials.
• Experience with the process of searching evaluating and filing patents.
• Experience providing direction for the physical testing of hypotheses resulting in specific conclusions and recommendations.
• Able to speak read and write the English language and have strong oral and written communication skills.
• Good analytical skills with working knowledge of basic statistics.
• Good computer skills in Microsoft Office program.
• Able to travel 20-30% to US and International for product and process trials.

What We Offer You

We believe that by continuously improving the quality of our benefits we can help to raise the quality of life for our team members and their families. At First Quality you will receive:

• Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
• Paid time off (three-week minimum)
• Medical dental and vision starting day one
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid parental leave
• Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
• Bundle of joy benefit (years worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
• Tuition assistance
• Wellness program with savings of up to $4000 per year on insurance premiums
• ...and more!

First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who as a result of their role specifications may come in to contact with sensitive data.

First Qualityis an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin disability sexual orientation gender identification or protected Veteran status.

For immediate consideration please go to the Careers section at to complete our online application.