R&D Scientist
- Category: R&D
- Country: United Kingdom
- Location: Milton Keynes - Hybrid
Overview
The role provides R&D support for operationally focused projects including technical support to sales and marketing, development of NPD, and conduct R&D led development and research projects as required.
Plays a key role in ensuring the continued and successful sale of our existing product range. Supports the qualification of alternative and new raw materials, components and sources of manufacture.
Supports the businesses NPD endeavours (largely renovation and replication based) and provides technical support to sales and marketing for claim support, customer queries, tribology and testing.
Works as part of a core cross functional team to successfully deliver management of change (MOC) projects. Performs overall project management duties as required.
What You’ll Be Doing
1. Operational Support
• Provides R&D support for allocated Operational MOC’s. This would typically include the qualification of new and alternative raw materials and components and the development and testing of new formulas and packaging.
• The R&D scientist may be required to prove product performance, stability and claim support whilst ensuring both regulatory and R&D mandatory compliance.
• Attendance of manufacturer trial production runs may also be required.
2. Innovation and NPD
• Provides R&D support for innovation and NPD that is typically renovation or replication based.
• Fosters relationships with chemical and component suppliers and identify opportunities for improvements and sources of competitive advantage for the Company.
• Undertakes the technical assessment of new product concepts, providing insight into technologies, packaging, chemistry, suppliers, manufacturers and patents.
• Creates and maintains sustainable IP either in-house or by effectively supporting and leveraging 3rd party partners.
• Develops and qualifies formulas, sources and tests packaging, proves product efficacy and claim support and ensures regulatory and R&D mandatory compliance.
• Completes all necessary actions to ensure IP is established and protectable, including proper laboratory notebook maintenance, maintenance of confidentiality, control of information dispersal and access, involvement with R&D leadership, and, as directed, internal and external legal sources.
3. Project Management:
• Responsible for the management of assigned MOC’s and R&D led research projects according to Company designed process.
• Defines business case and agrees project scope, deliverables, measures of success, risks and benefits.
• Seeks and secures any necessary project approval.
• Identifies key tasks and dependencies and develops and maintains project plans and timelines.
• Controls and manages changes in project scope or requirements, negotiating as necessary with business stakeholders.
• Manages and mitigates risks to prevent them becoming problems, judging when to escalate.
• Leads and motivates the project team, resolving any conflicts or people issues.
• Ensures control and engagement through project meetings as appropriate.
• Organises and drives the agendas for project meetings and “check-ins” as required.
• Communicates and consults with business stakeholders.
• Ensures learnings are captured and used to enable continual improvement in WDFC projects
4. Research:
• Undertakes scientific research within a pre-defined scope to advance new underlying principles, methodologies and technical solutions in order to accomplish operational and commercial objectives. This may be for the benefit of EIMEA or as part of Global collaboration.
• Presents verbal and written reports and presentations to various parties as required, in a concise, yet complete structure so that findings can be recorded, and decisions can be made, based on the results of the research obtained.
• Attends professional association meetings and conferences in order to advance the state of the company’s technical expertise.
• Seeks out and fosters relationships with suppliers, manufacturers and technical partners to identify opportunities for breakthrough technologies and sources of competitive advantage for the Company.
5. Marketing and Sales Support
• Supports marketing with claims testing, competitor product testing, technical content review, responses to end user queries and tribology training.
• Supports sales at trade events and customer visits and responds to technical customer queries.
What You’ll Bring To The Role
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry, material science, physics or related technical field.
• Demonstrated ability to self-teach and develop higher levels of scientific skill and knowledge with general guidance.
Total Rewards
Our competitive and comprehensive benefits package provides you protection, security, and peace of mind. We offer life-enhancing health, wellness, and financial programs, including profit incentive rewards, helathcare, generous pension contributions. In addition, we want you to recharge and take time off, so enjoy short-day Fridays, paid holidays, and an additional paid week off between Christmas and the new year to spend with family and friends!
About Us
WD-40 Company is a global company with its head office for Europe based in Milton Keynes. Our new facilities include a private onsite Gym in the center of Milton Keynes, just a short walk from the train station.
At WD-40 Company we believe that purpose-driven, passionate people guided by our values create amazing outcomes. Our “why” is refreshingly simple - we exist to create positive lasting memories in everything we do. We solve problems. We make things work smoothly. We create opportunities. How we achieve our “why” is by cultivating a tribal culture through learning, teaching and living our values.
Since 1953, our formulation remains a secret. It is no secret that our passion for our people, culture, and brands is what distinguishes us. WD-40 Company has best-in-class products and we seek best-in-class talent.
Do You Align With Our Values?
Please, only consider employment with WD-40 Company if you feel as strongly about our values as we do: We live, breathe, and play by our values every day.
• We value doing the right thing.
• We value creating positive lasting memories in all our relationships.
• We value making it better than it is today.
• We value succeeding as a Tribe while excelling as individuals.
• We value owning it and passionately acting on it.
• We value sustaining the WD-40 Company economy.
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