Formulation and Process Engineer, Kitchener

Alchemy is a nanotechnology company building breakthrough solutions for the automotive and defence industries. We’re transforming legacy sectors by vertically integrating our proprietary nanocoatings into category-defining, ready-to-use products.

Our flagship technologies:

ExoShield: the world’s leading windshield protection film for the automotive aftermarket

Crypsis Class: a multispectral camouflage coating platform for defence applications

We are at the growth-stage of our journey and are focused on sustainable top-line growth across both our automotive and defence business units. Alchemy is backed by leading investors and incubators in Canada, USA, and France such as Y-Combinator, Stanford-StartX, Pathfinder, Pembroke, NameSilo, and more.

Our team is a diverse, tight knit group of engineers, scientists, and business professionals that likes to spend time together in and out of the office, whether that is weekly badminton nights or team lunches. We are a team passionate about cars, cool technology, and working together to dominate the market segments we operate in.

The Role We’re hiring a Formulation and Process Engineer to help us take our high-performance automotive coatings from the lab bench to real-world production.

You’ll work on developing and tuning advanced coating systems for use in transparent film products, focusing on optimizing formulation properties, curing behavior, and scalability across application methods. Your work will directly impact how our products are made — from raw material compatibilityto process robustness and production readiness.

This role sits at the intersection of R&D and process engineering, with high visibility across product, operations, and manufacturing teams.

Key Responsibilities

Develop, adapt, and optimize functional formulations for use in high-performance transparent films and coating systems

Translate performance requirements (optical, mechanical, durability) into formulation and processing strategies that are scalable and repeatable

Design experiments and execute structured formulation studies to evaluate the impact of material selection, ratios, and processing conditions

Modify formulations to ensure compatibility with a of coating and application techniques (e.g., slot-die, spray, roll, or dip coating)

Work hands-on in the lab to prepare, mix, and apply coating formulations for both R&D and pilot-scale testing

Collaborate with product, test, and manufacturing teams to align formulation decisions with production, application, and performance constraints

Support the development of coating procedures that balance manufacturability, robustness, and performance across environmental conditions

Troubleshoot process variability and material handling issues, identifying root causes and recommending design or process improvements

Contribute to scale-up efforts, including transfer of lab formulations to external production partners and equipment trials

Develop and maintain formulation documentation including recipes, material specs, batch records, and SOPs

Track material performance across test phases and help define key product specifications and quality thresholds

Work cross-functionally to evaluate new materials, additives, or manufacturing methods that may expand product capability or simplify production

Qualifications Required:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field

3+ years of hands‑on experience in formulation development and/or process engineering, preferably in coatings, adhesives, films, or functional polymers

Deep understanding of how formulation parameters (e.g., viscosity, crosslinking behavior, solids content) impact coating performance and processability

Experience working with polymer or nano‑material based coatings in a lab or pilot environment

Demonstrated ability to design and execute structured formulation and process experiments, including data analysis and clear documentation

Familiarity with coating application methods (manual and automated), and understanding of relevant upstream/downstream process constraints

Strong problem‑solving skills, with the ability to move quickly between ideation, testing, and troubleshooting

Comfortable working with cross‑functional teams, including product, test, and production partners

Strong communication and documentation skills, able to translate technical findings into decisions

Must be authorized to work in Canada and able to commute to our headquarters in Kitchener, ON

Preferred:

Experience supporting scale‑up of lab‑developed coatings into external manufacturing environments

Familiarity with curing systems (thermal, UV, ambient) and how they interact with coating formulation and substrate behavior

Exposure to transparent films, optical coatings, or other high‑performance multilayer materials

Knowledge of experimental design frameworks (DOE, root cause analysis, etc.)

Previous experience working in startup or fast‑paced technical environments where cross‑functional collaboration is key

What We Offer

Competitive salary and equity package

A high‑impact technical role with ownership across product and process development

Cross‑functional exposure to product, strategy, and operations

A collaborative, mission‑driven culture with lots of room to grow

Alchemy is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Seniority level

Entry level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Management and Manufacturing

Industries

Manufacturing

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