Senior Research Associate

Location: On-site – Shelton, CT
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Materials R&D
Travel: ~10%

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate to join our Materials R&D team. This individual will lead product development efforts focused on delivering either significantly improved performance or lower installed cost in the concrete construction space. The ideal candidate is a practical, intellectually curious, and results-driven professional with strong technical skills and leadership potential. This role requires someone who can bridge the gap between the lab, manufacturing, and field application ensuring successful product scale-up and adoption.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead R&D programs to develop innovative products for concrete construction, including grouts, repair mortars, and coatings
  • Design and execute laboratory experiments with a rigorous approach to experimental design, controls, and data analysis
  • Apply statistical analysis to validate and interpret experimental results
  • Scale up innovations from laboratory formulation through manufacturing trials to successful field implementation
  • Conduct and support field -testing of new products in real-world applications
  • Work within a structured and well-developed product development process, meeting project milestones and documentation standards
  • Establish and maintain R&D department KPI’s that align with company-wide strategic goals, ensuring accountability and measurable progress across performance expectations
  • Develop and maintain tracking systems (e.g., dashboards, time allocation tools, progress reporting frameworks) to provide real-time visibility into project status, resource utilization, and alignment with strategic priorities.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Technical Services, and Manufacturing
  • Clearly communicate technical findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Mentor and potentially manage junior researchers and technicians, contributing to team capability development
  • Travel up to 10% for field evaluations, trials, and customer interactions

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or Materials Science from a top-tier university
  • Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in materials research, ideally in construction or industrial products
  • Successful hands-on experience with laboratory product formulation development and qualification work
  • Strong background in experimental design and statistical analysis
  • Proven experience scaling up innovations from lab to manufacturing and field use
  • Familiarity with and experience working within a structured product development process
  • Excellent problem-solving skills with attention to detail and execution
  • Skilled communicator, able to translate complex technical information clearly to non-technical audiences
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in a related technical discipline
  • Experience working in or supporting the construction industry
  • Field testing experience with new construction materials or systems
  • Previous experience leading or mentoring R&D professionals
  • Demonstrated success in developing and commercializing new products

Compensation & Benefits:

  • Competitive salary based on experience
  • Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) plan with company match
  • Paid time off and holidays
  • A collaborative and entrepreneurial environment with meaningful opportunities for growth and leadership

About Five Star Products

Five Star Products is a family-owned company dedicated to delivering innovative, high-performance solutions to the construction industry. We specialize in grouts, concrete repair materials, and coatings, and our mission is to create new value for our customers through problem-solving and forward-thinking engineering.

We are on a strong growth trajectory – expanding our presence in core markets while strategically entering new ones. New technologies play a central role in our growth strategy, and we are investing significantly in our people and processes to take the company to the next level.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, national origin, ethnic background, age, disability, political opinion, social status, veteran status, union membership or genetics.

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to Rachel Gagnon, HR Manager, at GagnonR@fivestarproducts.com. We kindly request no phone inquiries.