R&D Specialist I

Careers at AkzoNobel

About AkzoNobel

Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today – while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together.

Let’s paint the picture of this role

Bring your hands-on technical skills and quality mindset to a leading Aerospace coatings laboratory

AkzoNobel is a global leader in Paints and Coatings. Our success is powered by world-class research, innovation, and a strong commitment to quality. Within this environment, our Aerospace Lab team plays a key role in supporting the development and performance of cutting-edge products for the aviation industry.

We are currently looking for a Laboratory Technician – Aerospace Coatings to join our international team in Sassenheim, the Netherlands for a temporary period of one year. In this role, you will take on multiple responsibilities—from running specification test programs to supporting lab quality aspects—all in close collaboration with internal stakeholders such as Sales, Marketing, Production, and Quality Assurance.

You will act as a key technical contributor, responsible for setting up, executing, and reporting laboratory experiments in alignment with departmental standards. Strong communication skills and a customer-oriented mindset are essential as you’ll play a supporting role in both development and service-related projects.

The role and its responsibilities

This position is based at our major site in Sassenheim, the Netherlands. Your main mission is to execute paint performance tests and contribute to laboratory and quality operations in support of our Aerospace coatings portfolio. Specifically, you will:

• Maintain and promote a safe working environment in accordance with internal safety policies and procedures
• Operate in compliance with quality standards (e.g., AS9100) set by lab management
• Set up, plan, execute, and report experiments involving product characterization, panel preparation, system testing, and color measurements
• Work closely with researchers, requestors, and service departments to run LWR (Line Work Request) projects, utilizing lab tools and systems such as the test report system, durability databases, and complaints handling processes
• Document results using lab notebooks and reporting tools, producing both interim and final reports
• Keep current testing methods up to date and contribute to the continuous improvement of relevant lab techniques

Candidate Profile

To apply for this position, you should bring the following qualifications and characteristics:

• HBO-level education and experience in a laboratory environment
• Experience with paints/coatings is advantageous is considered as a plus
• Affinity with Quality Assurance and interest in working under formal quality systems (e.g., AS9100)
• Experience with Microsoft Office systems, including Excel and lab-related databases
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal, in English
• Self-motivated, accurate, and a collaborative team player

Our offer

AkzoNobel is consistently rated as one of the top employers in The Netherlands. You will join a company that is committed to achieving real sustainability. At a personal level you will also benefit from:

• Competitive salary, plus travel work-from-home expenses
• 13th month
• 44 holidays
• 8% vacation allowance
• Training opportunities that will help you grow beyond this position;

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.

If you have questions about the role or interview process, please contact Maria Botha, maria.botha@akzonobel.com