Research Chemist

An innovative and resourceful Research Chemist with a history in creating novel avenues to increased profitability via raw material efficiency and superior product quality. Background includes the formulation of various products, maintaining a consistent production quality, and troubleshooting manufacturing process issues. Seeking a technical position in a renowned organization that provides a creative outlet towards making a positive impact in the world while providing growth potential for future endeavors.

Professional Strengths

• Chemical Industry Experience • Project Management • Technical Presentation • Process Troubleshooting

• Product Formulation • Product Evaluation • Upscaling Production • Quality Control

• Technical Personnel Training • Raw Material Evaluation • Raw Material Efficiency • PDS & SDS Design

Technical Abilities

Familiar with Microsoft Office applications, internet software, and basic programming theory

Familiar with a variety of analytical techniques for determining physical properties

Professional Experience

Research Chemist

Right / Pointe LLC. Dekalb, IL Jan 2013 – Jan 2017

Summary: Objective to reevaluate assigned product line and generate additional profits through reformulation, while maintaining product specifications, and ensuring consistency in manufacture.

Curing Compound Line: Over a period of 2 years, reduced the raw material costs of flagship products while retaining specification standards and improving product qualities; the two highest volume products, White Water Wax and White Water Resin PAMS, saw a cost reduction of 25 % and 40 % respectively. 2016 annual volumes for White Water Resin PAMS has reached over 200 % in comparison to its first iteration cycles in 2014.

Expansion Joint Line: Led the development of an alternative polyurethane binder to offset the cost ineffectiveness of an outsourced formula. After two months of research, a polyurethane binder was developed from commodity chemicals that exceeded product specifications and reduced raw materials costs by 50 %; falling far below the required price point.

Recent Process Troubleshooting: Early this year multiple emulsion batches exhibited catastrophic stability failure; an extreme coalescing and creaming not experienced before. This resulted in a product recall of the earliest batches produced this year. Because the formula was successful the prior year, and this was a novel issue, the logical approach was to begin with evaluating the manufacturing equipment. It was found that our temperature controls were inadequate, the emulsion shearing was inadequate, and the accuracy of raw material delivery was inadequate. While working with engineering to address these issues, I personally oversaw the manufacture of new product and made attempts to try and pinpoint a chemical issue.

Various samples of production materials were collected, and tested for consistency with past samples. I received permission to alter the formulation using research performed on an experimental surfactant package I had developed. After this alteration, an insoluble precipitate appeared on the surface of the emulsions while leaving the bulk of the product functionally intact. Samples of the precipitate were collected, washed, and shipped to our resin supplier for analysis. The fraction that was precipitating from the emulsion was a resin fraction of unusually high molecular weight; it could not even percolate through the GPC column. After this mishap, we worked together with our resin supplier to source a resin within a standardized molecular weight range, and then resumed producing quality materials.

Education

Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Aug 2009 – Dec 2012

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, GPA: 3.1

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