Research and Development Chemist

JOB TITLE: Research and Development Chemist 

REPORTS TO: Technical Director, Tidal Clear

STATUS: Full time, non-exempt 

LOCATION: Bellingham, WA

SALARY RANGE: $33-35/hr depending on experience and interview outcomes

BENEFITS: Medical, dental, and vision insurance, optional FSA/HSA, 401k with 6% employer match, life and AD&D insurance, Employee Assistance Program, short & long term disability, tuition reimbursement, 21.67 days of paid time off + 10 holidays 

About Tidal Vision:

We believe that sustainability should not require customers to compromise on price, convenience, or performance. Our mission is to create positive and systemic environmental impact by making our biopolymer solutions cost competitive, more convenient, and better performing than the synthetic chemicals we displace. We value innovation and take pride in challenging the status-quo; we choose to view obstacles as opportunities. We value new ideas and encourage the team to apply creativity and invent new solutions to meet challenging demands. We foster open, direct communication, and a collaborative working environment through our unique approach to work culture. We value our employees and demonstrate that through our compensation and benefits programs and opportunities for growth and development.

About Tidal Clear:

Tidal Clear is the chitosan-based water treatment division of Tidal Vision, developing innovative products and applications across industrial and municipal markets. Our R&D division utilizes systematic product development processes to validate chitosan formulations and application methods, enabling our commercial teams to demonstrate clear, quantifiable value over traditional coagulants. We are rapidly scaling our technical capabilities to accelerate chitosan adoption across new and emerging markets.

About Our Unique Work Culture:

Tidal Vision strives to build and invest in the highest performing and most innovative team. We put our people and customers above process, avoid company-wide rules as much as possible, and have the courage to take unusual approaches to advance our mission. With this approach, we believe we can create a more flexible, fun, stimulating, creative, collaborative, and innovative organization.

Our commitment to developing, practicing and promoting direct and open communication, responsibility and freedom, and leading with and seeking context is a responsibility for every role at Tidal Vision.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an inquisitive and rigorous individual to join our team as a Research and Development Chemist for our Water Science branch, Tidal Clear. In this role, you will sit at the front end of our development process, so you will be responsible for early stage product and concept development, taking ideas from initial hypothesis through proof of concept before handing off to our Product Development team for scale-up. This person should approach problems creatively, design experiments properly, move quickly through iterations, and know how to prove or disprove a hypothesis with confidence. 

Key Responsibilities:

Proof of Concept Development

Design and execute lab-scale experiments to prove or disprove product hypotheses using proper experimental design (DOE, controls, replication, statistical significance).

Perform literature reviews for approved concepts to understand the science behind proposed mechanisms, materials, and formulation approaches.

Develop initial formulations representative of the final product for handoff to Product Development.

Document all experimental work clearly and in accessible language so learnings are retained and shared across the organization.

Hazard and Regulatory Awareness

Perform hazard analysis on new chemicals and materials before use.

Maintain working knowledge of the regulatory landscape relevant to product applications to identify formula limitations early in development.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with Product Development on scale-up capabilities, stability, and regulatory requirements before finalizing initial formulas.

Communicate findings clearly to technical leadership and cross-functional teams to inform product decisions.

Collaborate with our analytical research team to apply foundational material knowledge to new product concepts.

Technology Scouting

Stay current on relevant green chemistry and water treatment technologies that could expand or improve our product portfolio.

Evaluate technical feasibility of new ideas early to avoid pursuing concepts unlikely to succeed.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, or related field with 2+ years of experience in an R&D, analytical, or related laboratory setting; OR Master's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, or related field.

Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE) and basic statistical analysis.

Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to document and share findings clearly.

Preferred Qualifications:

2+ years of experience in R&D or formulation chemistry.

Experience in water treatment, environmental chemistry, or related field.

Familiarity with polymer or biopolymer chemistry.

Licensing & Special Requirements:

Subject to a criminal background check.

Working Conditions:

The incumbent must be able to lift 50+ lbs, carry, twist, walk, bend, rotate, and stand. Must be able to be visually and spatially aware of surroundings and be able to hear. Must be able to work in varying temperatures and in environments such as the laboratory, production floor, and general office settings. Proper PPE is required at all times.

Tidal Vision provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods, or otherwise to balance the workload. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.