James Hardie Building Products Inc. is the North American leader in fiber cement home siding and exterior design solutions. Hardie® products offer long lasting beauty and endless design possibilities with trusted protection and low maintenance. The company pioneered modern fiber cement building products and continues to invest in innovation to transform the industry. James Hardie is a high-performance organization, with an unwavering commitment to Zero Harm. The company proudly employs a diverse workforce of over 3,000 employees across operations in North America.

Make your dream career a reality. It’s possible! 

Onsite from the Fontana, CA Research & Development Facility

It is the vision of our Global R&PD business to have an inspired team delivering sustainable innovation to fuel Hardie's growth. As part of this team, you will have the opportunity to work alongside industry-leading engineers and scientists, develop and pursue research, work with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities and be challenged to think differently about the way you work. Our business is fast-paced, and our people are smart in the way they solve problems, driven in their pursuit of results, and real in the way they build relationships and work together.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS ROLE:

The Senior Scientist will be responsible to technology projects and  work with cross-functional team of Scientists, Engineers and Technologists to develop next generation coating technologies in collaboration with insights to innovation, product development and other technology teams from concept development, feasibility study and technology/product development. This role will also be responsible for executing on R&D's technology strategies and product development projects to deliver new product innovation to the market.

Desired expertise and knowledge areas will be in coating technologies – including thermal and radiation curing. This position will report to the Director of Materials Technology and will have a highly visible position in the organization as well as Product Development leaders, Business Development Managers and other Technical/Functional managers.

THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE ARE:

Develops and implements strategic and technical direction by:

• Developing and executing a paint technology long-term roadmap that enable further differentiation and competitiveness of James Hardie products
• Creating the strategy and the directions for a team of technologists to deliver innovative coating solutions, new products and technologies in paint formulations
• Developing coating capabilities for James Hardie
• Developing and leveraging external partnerships with the best in coatings industry
• Providing - technical guidance and oversight on multidisciplinary paint related projects
• Lead and manage the scheduling, delegation, production, timely delivery and quality of all project outputs, in accordance with priorities set from the business.
• Implementing realistic project plans and building appropriate and effective teams to accomplish the project goals
• Leading paint formulation and development of new and improved products through the research and development stage

Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with internal colleagues, customers, external vendors and service providers by:

• Communicating project progress accurately and timely to technical and business leaders.
• Collaborating with other team members on projects to maximize the utilization of the expertise and sharing of resources

Develops the processes, tools and techniques to achieve the required outcomes, and to realize organizational and business operational goals by:

• Ensuring workforce resources are in place and aligned with business needs and organization culture.
• Providing direction and guidance within the R&D organization in various committees, work groups and task force teams
• Resolving team conflicts, listening to different perspectives and ideas, offering expertise, and defining objectives and overall vision.
• Promoting organizational change and adoption of common business processes; and
• Building capability of team members to ensure bench strength within the department

Creates an awareness of the importance of maximizing operational efficiency within JH Research and other functional groups that work closely with R&D by:

• Foster an innovative and agile working environment to support cross-functional collaboration
• Manage the generation of Intellectual Property and Trade secrets in the areas of technology development

Foster and maintain a culture of ZeroHarm:

• Ensure that James Hardie’s operations are in line with Work Health and Safety Requirements at all times.
• Report any incidents, hazards, near misses or “at-risk” behaviors in a timely fashion
• Comply with any reasonable request related to health and safety including attending health and safety related training, participating in health and safety initiatives / activities and ensuring that either your acts or omissions do not place any person at risk
• Responding to any hazard or incident that is raised by another James Hardie team member and provide or seek the support required to allow them to work safely and respond to the identified workplace issue.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THESE:

1. SKILLS

• Demonstrated capability in paint formulation development and coating related project management
• Knowledge of chemical and coating regulatory standards is a plus
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
• Attention to detail and high regard for quality, delivery and cost management.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams
• Ability to effectively communicate with all levels of management and with other aspects of an operating business (e.g., marketing, sales, manufacturing, logistics)

2. KNOWLEDGE

• Minimum of BS in Chemistry and Engineering (coating science/engineering, polymer science/engineering, chemical engineering or materials sciences)
• Extensive knowledge with paint formulations and processes, as well as thermal cured, radiation cured and other coating curing technologies, is preferred

3. EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of experience in the field of R&D, innovation, and products
• Paint formulation and color science/technology background and experience is a big plus
• work with team of Scientists or Engineers to develop next generation coatings technology and product development projects from concept development, feasibility study, technology/product development

What You'll Receive:

At James Hardie, we recognize that our success depends on our people. We've worked hard to build a generous and competitive benefits program that demonstrates our commitment to our employees.  

• Comprehensive low-cost co-pay Health Insurance; medical, dental, prescription, and vision insurance benefits for every 30+ hour full-time employee. Insurance starts on day one! 

• 401(k) Retirement plan that will match 100% of employees saved dollars up to the first 6% of your salary 

• Paid holidays, paid vacation including Jury Duty and bereavement leave 

• Wellness Program 

• Employee Assistance Program  

• Parental Leave 

Salary + Bonus:  The expected pay range for this position is between $100,000 and $123,000. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience, markns, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This position qualifies for benefits which may also include a discretionary bonus.

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James Hardie Building Products Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, veteran's status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or any other basis protected by law.