Coatings Performance & Testing Chemist

SUMMARY:

Job Title: Coatings Performance & Testing Chemist
Location: Eastrand, Gauteng
Industry: Paint/Coating manufacturing
Type: Permanent / Environment: Combination of laboratory, factory floor and office environments.


About the Role
The Coatings Performance & Testing Chemist is the performance authority for every product the Company manufactures. The role owns performance evaluation of existing and new products – adhesion, gloss, sprayability, workability, UV resistance, corrosion resistance and related properties – manages third-party and accredited laboratory testing, and closes the loop between measured performance, formulation adjustments and customer expectations. This is a dedicated testing and evaluation role working alongside the development chemists

POSITION INFO:
What you’ll be doing

• Design and run structured performance test programmes for new and existing products across all product categories.
• Test and report on application and film properties: adhesion, gloss, hardness, flexibility, sprayability (gravity-fed and air-assisted), brushability, workability, hiding power, drawdown, drying and curing behaviour.
• Run durability and resistance testing: UV / weathering exposure, corrosion resistance (salt spray), chemical and abrasion resistance, water and humidity resistance.
• Benchmark Company products against competitor products
• Maintain a performance database
• Select, brief and manage external and accredited laboratories for testing beyond in-house capability
• Prepare and dispatch samples, define test protocols against relevant SANS / ISO / ASTM / EN methods
• Work with the development chemists to translate performance gaps into specific formulation adjustments.
• Re-test adjusted formulations and confirm performance targets are met before production release
• Work with the Company’s external sales representatives to confirm that product specifications offered to clients match tested, achievable performance
• Review client and tender specifications; confirm which Company products comply and identify testing needed to close gaps.
• Maintain test methods aligned to SANS / ISO / ASTM standards and keep test equipment calibrated in line with ISO good-practice principles.

• BSc / BTech / National Diploma in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science or a related field, and/or SAPMA Modules 1–4 or equivalent
• 2–10 years’ experience in coatings testing, coatings QC or formulation support in a paint or coatings environment
• Hands-on competence with standard coatings test equipment and methods (adhesion testers, gloss meters, DFT gauges, viscometers, spray equipment, salt spray and weathering cabinets or equivalent exposure programmes).
• Working knowledge of coating test standards (SANS, ISO, ASTM) and specification-based evaluation.
• Strong report-writing and data-handling skills.
• Valid Code 8 driver’s license and own transport
• Microsoft Excel proficiency – confident use of Excel for test logs, results databases, QC data capture, basic formulas (SUM, AVERAGE, IF, VLOOKUP / XLOOKUP), tables, charts and pivot reporting
• Rigorous test discipline – methodical execution of test methods; results must be repeatable, traceable and defensible.
• Integrity and confidentiality – unwavering protection of the Company’s formulations, test data and intellectual property, and absolute respect for the IP of all third parties

• Market related Cash component remuneration
• Incentives/Bonusses, based on Performance

• Combination of laboratory, factory floor and office environments.
• Regular handling of solvents, resins, pigments and reactive chemistries; full PPE compliance is mandatory.
• Standard hours Monday to Friday, 07:30–16:30.
• Overtime and occasional weekend work are expected where test programmes, batch deadlines or technical emergencies require, and are included in the cost-to-company package.
• Travel to customer sites, third-party laboratories and supplier facilities, primarily within Gauteng