A well-known Paint and Coatings company requires the above to oversee and manage staff within their laboratory, ensuring that suppliers and customers expectations are met and delivered on time.
Minimum requirements for the role:
- Previous experience having worked as a Senior Paint Chemist/Laboratory Manager running a laboratory within the architectural or decorative or industrial or wood finish or related paint / coatings markets is essential.
- Chemistry or paint technology back-ground (additionally SAPMA modules 1-11 preferable) with previous experience in a paint laboratory environment is pref.
- Basic computer skills using Microsoft office is essential.
- Ability to understand and formulate (develop new products) all decorative and architectural coatings as well as industrial paint formulations including industrial wood finish (water-based, Alkyd, Epoxy 2 K Hydroxy and Acid Catalysed UF technologies) is pref.
- Previous experience having worked in a paint factory with knowledge of how various paint machines operate (vertical mills, bead mills, high speed dispersers, attrition mills, ball mills).
- Experience having worked with colour matching using a Spectro Photometer and colour matching software (Largo preferable) is pref.
- Experience having worked with paint products applied by spray application is pref.
- Thorough knowledge of pigments and colourants used in the manufacturing of paints, inks and varnishes including the typical pigments used in paint colourants is pref.
- Thorough understanding of safety requirements is essential.
The successful candidate will be responsible for:
- Manage and oversee research and development, test new raw materials and formulations in order to launch new products and cost optimize existing formulations while maintaining the performance criterion requirements for each product.
- Control and manage all aspects of QC in the factory and laboratories.
- Deal with the technical aspects of customer complaints by investigating non-conforming products for resolution and prevention of reoccurrence.
- Investigate and report back on customer complaints by checking retained samples and responding in a formal report to the directors.
- Manage and oversee that all standards are kept and maintained in correct storage for easy access on demand.
- Identify and respond to normal hazards and take appropriate precautions.
- Review batch cards to ensure formulation and yield accuracy, identifying any additions or omissions or deviations from the formulation.
Salary package, including benefits, is highly negotiable depending on experience gained.