Research Scientist - Labels & Packaging Materials
MCCBuild your Career with an Industry Leader As the global leader of premium labels, MCC helps brands stand out in competitive markets and inspire positive consumer experiences. Backed by over a century of printing experience, MCC is focused on the future by developing consumer-driven innovations and sustainable packaging solutions. Working for our team, you can truly make a difference. R&D Research Scientist – Label Printing & Packaging The R&D Research Scientist will lead research, product development, and innovation projects for label printing and packaging applications. This role is responsible for identifying new technologies, developing and validating material solutions, designing experiments, building technical knowledge, and advancing concepts from early-stage research through commercialization. The position will focus on inks, coatings, adhesives, primers, substrates, films, papers, and print-related materials, with an emphasis on performance, manufacturability, sustainability, regulatory readiness, and customer value. The successful candidate will work closely with R&D, operations, quality, sales, procurement, regulatory, suppliers, and customers to turn technical ideas into scalable label solutions. Why work at MCC: Compensation: Competitive Compensation Generous benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance and 401(k) Paid Holidays: New Years, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, plus two floating Holidays Key Responsibilities Lead R&D projects from concept through feasibility, prototype development, validation, scale-up, and commercialization. Identify, evaluate, and develop new materials, formulations, substrates, print technologies, and converting solutions that support the company’s innovation pipeline. Design and execute structured experiments, including design of experiments, to understand material interactions, optimize performance, and accelerate technical decision-making. Develop and optimize inks, coatings, adhesives, primers, varnishes, and substrate combinations for pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, in-mold labels, and other label constructions. Build technical understanding of adhesion, cure response, surface energy, coating performance, print quality, durability, migration risk, recyclability, and end-use performance. Create prototypes, lab samples, pilot trials, and production trial plans to evaluate new concepts under realistic manufacturing and customer-use conditions. Analyze experimental data, summarize findings, draw conclusions, and recommend next steps for technical development and commercialization. Develop, validate, and improve laboratory test methods used to evaluate label materials, print performance, and finished product functionality. Collaborate with suppliers, universities, technology partners, and internal stakeholders to source new ideas and assess emerging material or process technologies. Partner with operations, quality, regulatory, procurement, sales, and technical service teams to ensure new solutions are scalable, compliant, cost-effective, and aligned with customer needs. Support intellectual property development by documenting inventions, technical discoveries, and potential patent opportunities. Prepare clear technical reports, project updates, presentations, specifications, and recommendations for technical and business audiences. Provide scientific guidance and mentorship to technicians, engineers, and junior scientists supporting R&D projects. Maintain awareness of industry trends, competitive technologies, sustainability drivers, regulatory requirements, and emerging label printing innovations. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Packaging Science, Printing Technology, or a related technical field; master’s or Ph.D. preferred. Experience in R&D, product development, materials developm…