Research Scientist, Analytical Chemistry

Research Scientist, Analytical Chemistry

Innovation Center, 777 Forest Edge Dr, Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States of America

Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM

Job Overview

The Research Scientist – Analytical Chemistry supports Oil‑Dri’s R&D, Product Development, Regulatory, Sales, and Manufacturing teams by developing and executing analytical methods that enable a deep understanding of clay‑based materials and their interactions with chemical systems. This role applies strong technical fundamentals to generate high‑quality data, interpret results, and provide insights that guide product innovation, quality improvements, and customer solutions. The scientist is expected to work independently on laboratory investigations, evaluate opportunities for method enhancements, and contribute to building Oil‑Dri’s analytical capabilities.

• Design and perform analytical experiments to characterize clay minerals and related chemical systems, using multiple analytical techniques to support product development, quality initiatives, and customer applications.
• Evaluate existing analytical methods, propose improvements, and develop new approaches that increase accuracy, robustness, or efficiency.

• Serve as equipment owner for designated instruments, ensuring proper maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and documentation.
• Manage and update analytical SOPs to maintain consistent practices across the R&D laboratory.
• Identify gaps in analytical capabilities and participate in the evaluation, testing, and implementation of new instrumentation and techniques.

• Plan and perform laboratory research independently, including experiment design, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Develop practical and scientifically grounded solutions to technical challenges, including projects requiring creativity and novel analytical approaches.
• Accurately analyze and interpret data to inform R&D decisions and support scale‑up or manufacturing needs.

• Partner with Manufacturing to evaluate product performance data, troubleshoot analytical issues, and provide recommendations that support production consistency and efficiency.
• Assist Sales, Marketing, Regulatory, and Technical Service with analytical insights that address customer inquiries and product performance questions.
• Contribute to customer‑facing technical discussions by clearly explaining analytical findings and their implications for product use.

• Document experimental work, prepare technical reports, and present results to R&D and business partners.
• Participate in professional societies, conferences, and publication opportunities as appropriate and with required internal review.
• Contribute ideas for new research directions, analytical methods, or product innovations.

Education:

• M.S. degree in Analytical Chemistry with a minimum of 2 years of related industry experience.

Skills & Abilities:

• Solid theoretical and practical understanding of analytical chemistry, with working knowledge of inorganic and organic chemistry.
• Experience with analytical techniques relevant to clay characterization; familiarity with chromatographic and spectrometric methods (LC‑MS, GC‑MS) is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings clearly.
• Ability to maintain and troubleshoot analytical instrumentation.
• Strong curiosity and motivation to understand material behavior and translate observations into actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational habits, and effective documentation practices.
• Strong interpersonal skills, integrity, and the ability to collaborate across functions.
• Creative, customer‑focused, and capable of solving problems in a fast‑paced industrial environment.
• Record of providing solutions to complex problems where little precedent exists using ingenuity, creativity, and scientific skills.
• Demonstrated capacity for independent, innovative,…