Senior Product Development Chemist

Position Overview

PPG has an exciting opportunity for a technical project leaderinterested in advancing automotive refinish coatings technology. The Automotive Refinish business has an opening for an S&T Product Development Chemist II, Senior position at our facility in Cleveland, OH.

The successful candidate will join the Refinish Product Development team and serve as a technical project leadfor the development, optimization, and launch of new waterborne basecoat technologies, the color layer of automotive refinish coatings. This role is well suited for a highly experienced chemist, engineer, or materials scientist with a strong record of delivering formulation development, coatings innovation, polymer or dispersion technologies, and complex technical problem solving in an industrial environment.

At this level, the individual will be expected to lead technical projects, define technical strategy, make critical technical decisions, and advance projects through ambiguity. The role requires the ability to translate business and customer needs into a practical technical plan, evaluate risks, align stakeholders, and guide the technical execution needed to move programs forward.

This is an individual contributortechnical leadership role. No employees are expected to report directly to this individual; however, the person in this role will be expected to influence across teams, guide younger and less experienced chemists, raise the technical capability of the group, and set a strong example for scientific rigor, laboratory safety, project ownership, and technical communication.

The role requires advanced laboratory judgment, strong formulationexpertise, disciplined data interpretation, and the ability to communicate clear recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders. The candidate will manage multiple high-impact priorities, lead cross-functional technical discussions, and help drive development programs toward successful commercialization with minimal supervision.

Role emphasis: technical leadership, decision-making, strategic project direction, and mentorship within an individual contributor role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development, optimization, and evaluation of coatings formulations for waterborne automotive refinish basecoat technologies and related product platforms.

• Define technical project strategy, establishexperimental plans, prioritize technical work, and drive development programs from concept through commercialization.

• Make critical technical decisions using sound scientific principles, experimental evidence, risk assessment, and business or customer requirements.

• Lead complex technical investigations involving formulation performance, application behavior, appearance, color properties, durability, manufacturability, or product robustness.

• Design, direct, and execute laboratory experiments using appropriate controls, disciplined methodology, and clear success criteria.

• Translate experimental results and technical risks into actionable recommendations that influence project direction, resource priorities, and commercializationreadiness.

• Guide, coach, and mentor less experienced chemists in experimental design, formulation approach, data interpretation, troubleshooting, and technical communication.

• Provide technical leadership to cross-functional and global project teams, including R&D, manufacturing, marketing, sales, procurement, quality, and product management.

• Lead or support technology transfer, scale-up, manufacturing trials, and launch readiness efforts.

• Formulate, prepare, spray apply, and evaluate standard and experimental color coatings as needed to support project objectivesand technical decision-making.

• Conduct and/or direct physical, chemical, application, appearance, color, and performance testing of coatingstechnologies.

• Identifytechnical gaps, anticipateproject risks, develop mitigation plans, and proactively remove barriers to project progress.

• Communicate technical results, project status, risks, recommendations, and decision points through clearpresentationsand stakeholder discussions.

• Build productive relationships with suppliers, customers, and broader PPG technical communities to support raw material evaluations, technology scouting, and project execution.

• Maintain strong documentation practices in accordance withinternal requirements, intellectual property needs, safety expectations, and project governance.

• Model a safety-first mindset while leading laboratory work, promoting safe work practices, and participatingin team safety initiatives.

• Actively support 6S, continuous improvement, laboratory productivity, and technical best-practice development across the team.

• Adhere to corporate policies, government regulations, business conduct standards, environmental requirements, and EEO guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Coatings Science, or a relatedSTEM discipline.

• 8+ years of professional experience in a technical, laboratory, product development, formulation, applications, or materials-related role, or an equivalent combination of advanced education and relevant industrial experience.

• Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects or major technical workstreams with minimal supervision.

• Proven ability to make data-driven technical decisions that advance complex projects and influence technical direction.

• Strong knowledge of formulation development, experimental design, laboratory practices, data interpretation, and structured technical problem solving.

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex formulation, application, appearance, performance, color, or manufacturing-related challenges.

• Ability to mentor less experienced technical staff and guide others through experimental planning, data analysis, and technical decision-making.

• Strong organizational and project leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deliverables, and stakeholders.

• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional, and global team environment while taking ownership of technical outcomes.

• Proficiencywith Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Commitment to safe laboratory practices and compliance with established safety, regulatory, and environmental standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Coatings Science, or a relatedSTEM discipline.

• Professional experience in waterborne coatings, paints, automotive refinish, color coatings, dispersions, emulsions, polymer solutions, inks, or related formulated products.

• Deep technical knowledge in waterborne formulation development, pigment dispersion, rheology, spray application, film formation, color development, or coatingsperformance testing.

• Experience leading new product development projects, product platform development, technology transfer, scale-up, manufacturing trials, or commercialization activities.

• Familiarity with color science, color theory, color matching, appearance measurement, or automotive refinish application processes.

• Experience using design of experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, structured problem-solving tools, or data-driven decision frameworks.

• Experience working with global product development teams, cross-functional project teams, suppliers, customers, or external technical partners.

• Demonstrated ability to influence project direction, align stakeholders, and resolve technical uncertainty without direct reporting authority.

• Experience evaluating raw materials, qualifying alternative materials, or collaborating with suppliers to solve formulation or supply continuity challenges.

• Track recordof mentoring colleagues, building technical capability within a team, and improving laboratory or project execution practices.

About us:

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD ®

Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @PPG on X.

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At PPG we use AI in the hiring process to make the process more efficient. AI tools do not make hiring decisions. You can learn more by going to https://careers.ppg.com/us/en/candidate-resources.

PPG provides equal opportunity to all candidates and employees. We offer an opportunity to grow and develop your career in an environment that provides a fulfilling workplace for employees, creates an environment for continuous learning, and embraces the ideas and diversity of others. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

If you need an adjustment due to a disability, please email [email protected].

PPG pay ranges and benefits can vary by location which allows us to compensate employees competitively in different geographic markets. PPG considers several factors in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, qualifications and education, licensure and certifications, and other organizational needs. Other incentives may apply.

Our employee benefits programs are designed to support the health and well-being of our employees. Any insurance coverages and benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents. Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process.

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