Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations. Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions.

Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities. At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®.

We are seeking a Scientist – Home Care Formulations for our First Quality Home Care Products, LLC facility located in Trumbull, CT. This role involves planning and performing laboratory assignments: formulating Fabric Enhancement (FE) formulations: LFS (Liquid Fabric Softener) or new generation of FSS (Fabric Softener Sheets), the measurement of their physical properties, validation of formulations stability, and participate in the formulations’ performance testing. The individual draws conclusions based on data/observations, proposes, plans and executes the next steps. The Scientist functions as part of an integrated cross functional R&D team.

Primary responsibilities include:

Actively seeks to understand and utilizes the understanding of chemical structures, their function relationships and interactions in the FE formulation matrices: FSL, FSS
Participates in design and conducts experiments to formulate desired NBE (national Brand Equivalent) performance matrices/formulations
Reviews data, provides preliminary interpretation and draws conclusions. Proposes and executes the next steps/strategies of development efforts. Reports progress/issues on a timely basis
Ensures accuracy of generated data during laboratory testing and reports according to standard operating procedures or customer requirements
Obtains data to evaluate the composition and performance of the NB and competitive formulations/products
Coordinates necessary tasks and discussions with R&D cross-functional teams to ensure the tasks are executed in a timely manner
Works closely with R&D’s cross-functional teams: marketing, matrices/formulations testing, processing/engineering, and manufacturing during the development and commercialization of the FE formulations
Works closely with business partners: supply chain, finance, purchasing when appropriate
As needed, helps providing subject matter expert support regarding the off-specs formulations/batches
Helps preparing presentations to the Ownership, management, customers and/or clients
Conducts laboratory work and equipment maintenance in accordance with standard operating procedures
Maintains laboratory notebook in accordance with standard operating procedures
Ensures the laboratory is kept in a clean, orderly, and safe manner and reports any deficiencies
Performs IP review for FTP studies

The ideal candidate should possess the following:

Education — Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry or equivalent Science or Engineering related field
•Experience — 2+ years of relevant laboratory and industry experience
• Strong communication skills and ability to utilize good judgement to make timely, practical, and technically sound decisions

Physical Requirements:

Significant amount of time at a bench or a computer station. On rare occasions there is a need to lift up to twenty (20) pounds.

Estimated annual base salary range for this position is $75,000- $85,000

Base pay is only part of our total compensation package, which also includes an attractive annual discretionary bonus and robust suite of employee benefits for which you are eligible to participate in starting on your first day of employment.

Base pay offered will be determined on an individualized basis and we will consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

What We Offer You

We believe that by continuously improving the quality of our benefits, we can help to raise the quality of life for our team members and their families. At First Quality you will receive:

Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
Paid time off (three-week minimum)
Medical, dental and vision starting day one
401(k) with employer match
Paid parental leave
Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
Bundle of joy benefit (year's worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
Tuition assistance
Wellness program with savings of up to $4,000 per year on insurance premiums
...and more!

First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data.

First Quality is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.