Lab Manager, Agro

Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. Our purpose—we bond people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress—is a call to go beyond, to reinvent future forms of progress and create sustainable shared value for all through the power of science. In a world facing an ever-growing population and quest for resources, we aim to be the driving force triggering the next breakthroughs to enable humanity to advance while protecting the planet we all share.

We bond with customers and partners to address today and tomorrow’s megatrends. As a global leader in Materials, Chemicals and Solutions, Solvay brings advancements in planes, cars, batteries, smart and medical devices, water and air treatment, to solve critical industrial, social and environmental challenges. You can count on our innovative solutions to contribute to safer, cleaner and more sustainable future.

**Role Overview**

**We are looking for**:
As the manager of the Novecare Asian Agricultural Specialties R&I lab in Australia, you will be in charge of managing a complete portfolio of innovation projects and technical support addressing different strategic Agro segments, with a more specific focus on Crop Protection, Seed Care and Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer (EEF), delivering formulation & technological solutions as per the market & customer needs specifically in Australia. You will manage a team of 1 Research associate & apprentices/interns

**We count on you for**:

- Set up and manage roadmap innovation projects in collaboration with business teams based in Asia and more specifically to cater to local customer needs in Australia
- Ensure those projects deliver technological and formulation solutions in line with customers’ specifications and timelines expected
- Animate & manage R&I team based in Australia, composed of 1 Research associate and apprentice and/or intern, making sure of their excellent performance while offering opportunities for them to develop their skills. Work closely with the team in the lab for formulation development and evaluation.
- Allocate 70% time to project management and admin and 30% time to carry out laboratory work/experiments (based on business priorities)
- Provide technical support to local customers (customer visits & trainings, calls, conferences etc.)
- Interact, collaborate constantly with R&I teams in Asia and also other zones, to facilitate innovation transfers across zones globally and speed-up innovation delivery
- As a Project manager, involve all resources (outside of the team) that are key to project delivery, including synthesis & process teams, analytical teams, purchasing teams, plant teams, product stewardship teams etc
- Lead scouting-work activities to identify potential technologies and/or processes
- Identify local academic labs to collaborate for developing tests/protocols for validation
- Ensure everyone is working in conditions meeting HSE policies and rules, as well as Quality policies and rules. Be pro-active to enhance safety standards
- Ensure all lab experiments are recorded in Electronic Lab Notebook and maintaining all the records as per internal standards
- Take care of patent and literature surveys (articles, patents, competitive watch) in considered segments & and participate to patents filing strategies.
- Ensure smooth functioning of lab including safety, procurement and sample management with the support of team
- Understand and follow key Solvay safety policies and procedures, including but not limited to the following:

- Emergency Response / Evacuation Guidelines
- Visitor Safety Policy
- Housekeeping
- Demonstrate a commitment to safety
- Attend compulsory safety training
- Know the location of first aid and emergency response equipment, chemicals, and chemical documentation.
- Obtain equipment or process specific safety training as necessary according to the specific hazards

**You will bring**:

- Chemistry/ Physical-Chemistry MS Degree (Chemistry/Chemical Engineering) and/or PhD (Physico-chemistry solvents /polymers/surfactants/ formulation science / surface modification/rheology soft materials) by preference
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in Agro formulation development; managed R&I innovation projects on different Agro segments those including crop protection
- An experience in Seed care/EEF formulations and Agronomy is an added advantage

**You will get**
- 16, or more, weeks of maternity/paternity and co-parenting leave, according to local regulations
- Training platform for all employees
- Free language courses (24 languages available)
- Free well-being sessions (physical and psychological)

**About us**

After 50 years, we are going back to the Moon... Solvay Materials are making it possible once again for Humans to return to the Moon. Check here our Artemis missions with NASA: we will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.

Solvay’s purpose is to bond people, ideas and elements to rein