Applications Specialist – Colourants

Location: France (Home-Based) | Belgium or Southern/Western Germany considered

About Solenis

Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries across consumer, industrial, institutional, food and beverage, and pool and spa water markets.

Our innovative portfolio of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, and monitoring and control systems helps customers optimize operations, enhance product quality, protect critical assets and achieve their sustainability goals.

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, Solenis operates 69 manufacturing facilities worldwide and employs over 16,100 professionals across 130 countries. Recognized as a 2026 US Best Managed Company for the third consecutive year, we are committed to fostering a culture of safety, diversity, and professional growth.

For more information, visit www.solenis.com.

About the Role

We are looking for an Applications Specialist – Colourants to join our EMEA Pulp & Paper organization.

Working at the intersection of papermaking, chemistry, colourants and customer applications, you will partner closely with our Sales, Product Management and our technical teams to provide application expertise, solve customer challenges and develop effective, commercially viable solutions.

The role will initially focus primarily on customers across France. It is home-based, with candidates located in France, Belgium or Southern/Western Germany welcome to apply, provided they are comfortable with regular travel to customer sites in France.

What you’ll do

As an Applications Specialist – Colourants, you will provide technical expertise and application support to our Sales teams and customers, helping them identify effective and commercially viable solutions for their paper coloration needs.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical Sales Support & Customer Solutions
   • Partner with Sales teams and customers during technical discussions, product evaluations, presentations and trials.
   • Recommend appropriate colourants, applications, equipment and control solutions based on customer needs.
   • Support customers in optimizing colour formulation, shade matching, wet-end applications and product performance.
2. On-Site Support & Troubleshooting
   • Visit customer and mill sites to support product trials, technical evaluations and troubleshooting.
   • Assess application and performance challenges and provide practical recommendations to improve results.
   • Build trusted relationships with assigned customers and act as a technical point of contact for coloration-related matters.
3. Laboratory & Technical Projects
   • Coordinate application testing and customer-specific evaluations with our Colourants laboratory in Mönchengladbach, Germany.
   • Interpret technical results and translate them into clear, actionable customer recommendations.
   • Develop and drive technical projects and application concepts that support customer value and business growth.
4. Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing
   • Collaborate with our international network of Applications Specialists, Sales, Product Management and laboratory teams.
   • Share technical knowledge and best practices while managing your customer activities and priorities with a high degree of autonomy.

What You’ll Bring

• A degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Paper Technology, Papermaking or a related scientific/technical field, or equivalent relevant industry experience.
• Relevant experience within papermaking, pulp & paper, specialty chemicals, colourants/dyes or a related technical applications environment.
• Good knowledge of papermaking processes and/or paper chemistry. Experience with paper coloration, dyes, shading or deep dyeing is a strong advantage, with training available to develop specialist colorant expertise.
• Familiarity with colour measurement, shade matching and colour-space systems such as CIELAB (L*a*b*) and LCh is an advantage.
• Comfortable using digital business and CRM tools; Salesforce experience is an advantage.
• A customer-focused and commercially aware approach, with strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously, manage priorities and collaborate within an international team.
• Fluent French and professional English; German or another European language is an advantage.
• Willingness to travel regularly across France and occasionally elsewhere in Europe, with a valid driving licence.

We know that great candidates don't always meet every requirement. If you have a strong technical foundation and are motivated to develop your expertise in paper coloration, we encourage you to apply.

What We Offer

At Solenis, we know our people are central to our success. We offer:

• Competitive compensation and an annual performance-related bonus.
• Company car, laptop and mobile phone.
• A home-based role with a high degree of autonomy.
• Comprehensive technical onboarding and support from experienced specialists.
• The opportunity to develop deep expertise in a specialized technical field.
• An international environment with opportunities for professional development and broader European exposure.

Ready to make an impact?

If you enjoy solving technical challenges, working closely with customers and developing specialist expertise within an international environment, we would like to hear from you.

Apply today and help us deliver innovative and sustainable solutions for our customers.

Solenis is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.