Research Scientist, Analytical Chemistry

Job Overview

The Research Scientist – Analytical Chemistry supports Oil‑Dri’s R&D, Product Development, Regulatory, Sales, and Manufacturing teams by developing and executing analytical methods that enable a deep understanding of clay‑based materials and their interactions with chemical systems. This role applies strong technical fundamentals to generate high‑quality data, interpret results, and provide insights that guide product innovation, quality improvements, and customer solutions. The scientist is expected to work independently on laboratory investigations, evaluate opportunities for method enhancements, and contribute to building Oil‑Dri’s analytical capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

Analytical Method Development & Testing

• Design and perform analytical experiments to characterize clay minerals and related chemical systems, using multiple analytical techniques to support product development, quality initiatives, and customer applications.
• Evaluate existing analytical methods, propose improvements, and develop new approaches that increase accuracy, robustness, or efficiency.

Laboratory Operations & Equipment Ownership

• Serve as equipment owner for designated instruments, ensuring proper maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and documentation.
• Manage and update analytical SOPs to maintain consistent practices across the R&D laboratory.
• Identify gaps in analytical capabilities and participate in the evaluation, testing, and implementation of new instrumentation and techniques.

Research Execution & Problem Solving

• Plan and perform laboratory research independently, including experiment design, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Develop practical and scientifically grounded solutions to technical challenges, including projects requiring creativity and novel analytical approaches.
• Accurately analyze and interpret data to inform R&D decisions and support scale‑up or manufacturing needs.

Cross‑Functional Technical Support

• Partner with Manufacturing to evaluate product performance data, troubleshoot analytical issues, and provide recommendations that support production consistency and efficiency.
• Assist Sales, Marketing, Regulatory, and Technical Service with analytical insights that address customer inquiries and product performance questions.
• Contribute to customer‑facing technical discussions by clearly explaining analytical findings and their implications for product use.

Scientific Communication & Professional Development

• Document experimental work, prepare technical reports, and present results to R&D and business partners.
• Participate in professional societies, conferences, and publication opportunities as appropriate and with required internal review.
• Contribute ideas for new research directions, analytical methods, or product innovations.

Qualifications

Education:

• M.S. degree in Analytical Chemistry with a minimum of 2 years of related industry experience.

Skills & Abilities:

• Solid theoretical and practical understanding of analytical chemistry, with working knowledge of inorganic and organic chemistry.
• Experience with analytical techniques relevant to clay characterization; familiarity with chromatographic and spectrometric methods (LC‑MS, GC‑MS) is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings clearly.
• Ability to maintain and troubleshoot analytical instrumentation.
• Strong curiosity and motivation to understand material behavior and translate observations into actionable insights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational habits, and effective documentation practices.
• Strong interpersonal skills, integrity, and the ability to collaborate across functions.
• Creative, customer‑focused, and capable of solving problems in a fast‑paced industrial environment.
• Record of providing solutions to complex problems where little precedent exists using ingenuity, creativity, and scientific skills
• Demonstrated capacity for independent, innovative, proactive approach to research and/or process improvement, but comfortable working in a team environment
• Capacity for making major decisions in the creation, planning, execution, and interpretation of research projects

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive pay ($76k - $99k) + annual bonus
• 401(k) with 6% company match
• Paid parental leave, generous PTO, and paid holidays
• Strong focus on work-life balance
• Career growth with exposure to senior leadership
• Annual merit increase opportunity
• Fitness & gym reimbursement
• Employer-contribution Health & Dental coverage

About Us

Oil-Dri Corporation of America is a leading manufacturer and supplier of specialty sorbent products for consumer and business-to-business markets that has been voted as a Top 100 workplaces in the Chicago Tribune. Oil-Dri’s products are sold in the pet care, animal health, fluids purification, agricultural, sports field, industrial and automotive markets. Oil-Dri controls millions of tons of specialty mineral reserves, including calcium bentonite, attapulgite, and diatomaceous shale. The company’s mines and manufacturing facilities are located in Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, and California. Oil-Dri is a family-controlled and operated organization that emphasizes honesty, integrity, and accountability. The company is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to Create Value From Sorbent Minerals.

Oil-Dri is committed to providing equal opportunity for all teammates and qualified candidates without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Accordingly, all employment decisions and personnel actions or programs such as hiring, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, transfers, reductions in workforce, and training, etc. will be consistent with the principle of equal employment opportunity.