Research Scientist

Company Overview for Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A.

Founded in 1978, Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. (Formosa Plastics) is a growing, vertically-integrated supplier of plastic resins and petrochemicals. With annual revenues of more than $5 billion, we employ over 2,800 people who operate 20 production units in six business divisions - Olefins, Polyolefins, Vinyl, Specialty Polyvinyl Chloride, Chlor-Alkali, and Oil & Gas.

Formosa Plastics offers a full line of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and polypropylene resins, caustic soda and other petrochemicals that deliver the consistency, performance and quality that customers demand. We market our polypropylene and polyethylene resins under the Formolene® tradename; we market our suspension PVC and specialty (dispersion) PVC resins under the Formolon® tradename. We also produce and sell caustic soda, ethylene dichloride, commercial bleach and hydrochloric acid.

We are committed to supplying the highest quality products and services to our customers, providing a safe and healthy workplace for our employees and contributing to the quality of life in the communities where we operate. This commitment is made possible through our dedicated people, consistent products, continued protection of the environment and ongoing investments in new product development, quality control systems and safe, modern and energy-efficient production facilities.

Formosa Plastics is a privately held company headquartered in Livingston, New Jersey. Our core business, producing plastic resins and petrochemicals, takes place at three wholly-owned chemical manufacturing subsidiaries located in Delaware City, Delaware, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Point Comfort, Texas.

I. POSITION OBJECTIVE

  The Research Scientist position exists to identify industry and academia trends and spearhead the

  proof-of-concept and scale-up efforts, based on new applicable knowledge and outstanding   

  technologies with our company for the development of innovative value- added products, of high   

  performance polyolefin catalysts to maintain the competitive position, of new technical methods to  

  improve our current products for our customers' need, and of superior catalysis/polymerization

  process to manufacture the highest quality products    in the most efficiency and effectiveness for

  reducing costs and increasing operating profits.

II. MAJOR AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

   Catalyst Research and Development: Identify current and future trend of industry R&D landscape,

   sustainability initiatives, and company needs, design inorganic/organometallic compounds and

   develop advanced Z-N catalyst and catalyst preparation process, to manufacture value-added

   polyolefin products and to maintain the competitive position for our company. Improve current

   catalysis and polymerization process to provide the highest quality products for customers.

   Operation Support: Optimize our current technologies and methods, develop testing programs and

   solve manufacturing problems (troubleshooting and internal technical service) in order to increase

   productivity and to improve quality in the most efficiency and effectiveness for reducing operating

   costs and increasing operating profits.

   Product and Technology Development: Propose innovative catalysts for commercial trial in  

   Production Unit, initiate MOC, PHA and SOP, set up operation (process) parameters, prepare program        

   reports/technical presentation/ technical manual, implement catalyst commercial application, and

   provide technical service during the application. Monitor and evaluate catalyst performance and

   polymer properties, provide technical expertise/ feedback and support for the development and

   industrialization of polyolefins catalyst systems, resin production and additives packages, and propose

   specs for optimization of catalyst performance and product properties.

   Intellectual Property: Keep up with research trend and literature, and expand knowledge pertinent to

   polyolefin catalyst systems, process, and application. Pursue FPC Intellectual property on new catalyst,  

   process and product.

   Improvement Projects: Initiate R&D programs and B-1 projects for innovative technologies of   

   preparing advanced Ziegler-Natta and/or metallocene (single-site) catalysts, improving manufacturing

   process, and developing new grade, high added value polyolefin materials.

   THM – Promote cleanliness and order through implementation of the Total House keeping    

   Maintenance program. Emphasize Nothing Touch Ground program and No Visual Pollution program.    

   Maintain the plant like new condition.

III. QUALIFICATIONS

     Previous Related Experience Required: This position requires possessing a MS/PhD in Polymer Science  

     or Inorganic/ Organometallic Chemistry or a catalysis-related field, with academic and industrial       

     experience of 5+ years in polyolefins or chemical manufacturing.

     Technical Skills Required to Perform This Job: Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry and Polymer

     Physics, Inorganic and Organometallic Synthesis, Material Science,

    Coordination & Inorganic Chemistry, basic knowledges of Chemical Engineering including Heat   

    Transfer, Mass Transfer, Kinetics, Thermodynamics, Fluid Statics and Dynamics. Polymer

    Characterization.

IV. EDUCATION

    Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Inorganic and Organometallic Synthesis,     

    Material Science, Coordination & Inorganic Chemistry, basic knowledges of Chemical Engineering

    including Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, Kinetics, Thermodynamics, Fluid Statics and Dynamics.  

    Polymer Characterization.

Check Out Our Benefits

Health Coverage and Perks

Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance plans

Flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care  

Short-term Disability 

Long-term Disability 

Group Term Life, Dependent and
Supplemental Life Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement 
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Work/Life Balance

10 Paid Holidays

Paid Time Off for a balanced life
(Vacation, Sick and Personal Time) 

FlexTime Available 

 Competitive Compensation

Competitive salary, incentive/bonus, 401(k) plan with company match, 
Cash Balance, Pension Plan