R&D Process Operator Tech

About DuPont

DuPont is a world-class multi-industry specialty solutions company organized in 3 large global businesses- Electronics & Industrial; Mobility & Materials; Water & Protection.

This role is being posted in “Performance Building Solutions (PBS)” which is a business line of DuPont Water & Protection (W&P). Our purpose is clear, we create water, shelter, and safety solutions for a more sustainable world. PBS is a leading global provider of value-added solutions in the areas of weatherization, air sealing, thermal comfort and fire protection systems for the building and construction market. Some of our most recognized brands include STYROFOAM™, Tyvek® and Great Stuff™. PBS is an active leader in advancing building science, developing solutions to improve construction productivity and fostering the use of more sustainable and resilient building materials and practices.

About PBS R&D

PBS R&D consists of a dynamic team specializing in Product, Process and Application Development. We have extensive laboratory and pilot plant capabilities that enable research from initial proof of concept to pre-production scale up. The team comprises of many capable individuals with breadth and depth in many different areas such as material science, foaming, testing, process scale up, mechanical product development, construction expertise and code compliance among others.

Responsible / Essential Functions:

This R&D Technologist role includes bench scale testing to running small-scale process equipment. On test lab side they will conduct standard or new testing using good measurement science. They will actively help project teams to plan, execute and analyze testing results. On Pilot plant side they will operate the process equipment such as extruders, foaming equipment and pelletizers on research runs from several pounds per hour up to several hundred pounds per hour.

The R&D Technologist must have strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate their work and results. Such details need to be communicated orally in informal settings, formally documented in reports and on occasion more formally in a presentation format. Organization skills are also critically important to support multiple projects.

R&D programs often require critical thinking to develop new methods that are not available in standards to answer key technical questions.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

• Understand the needs of testing/ pilot plant runs

• Be a thought partner to develop effective test/ process research plan

• Apply scientific method to the test and process research activities

• Operate process equipment in the pilot plant

• Collaborate with multifunctional team members

• Travel for production trials or special testing at external sites

• Share in maintaining the lab and pilot plant including labeling samples and proper waste disposal

• May be responsible for maintaining, verifying and calibrating lab equipment

• Use construction tools- e.g. table saws, band saws and hand-held power tools for sample preparation

• Collect and compile data from tests. Able to check data and flag noteworthy patterns or observations to researcher. Make recommendations to broader project team based on test results.

• Generate data reports using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

• Generate formal research reports documenting experimental objectives, experiment procedure, test results and a discussion of the test results.

Travel:

Expected to travel about 10-20% of time for technology development and production scale ups.

Qualifications:

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree, in a technical field

• Able to manage multiple projects concurrently

• Spreadsheet and word processing skills (MS Office)

• Must have strong time management and organization skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Fluency in English language

• Ability to learn and apply new skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience (2-4 years) in polymer processing equipment (extrusion, mixing, foaming, etc.)

• Proficiency in lab equipment such as Instrons

• Demonstrated understanding of the good measurement science and scientific method

• Demonstrated ability to effectively work across stakeholders

• Basic statistical analysis skills

DuPont is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.

For US Applicants: See the “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law” poster at: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
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