<p>Job Title: Lab Technician - Color Matcher</p> <p>Job Description</p> <p>We're looking for a skilled Lab Technician - Color Matcher to join a small, collaborative laboratory team where expertise is valued and precision matters. In this hands-on role, you'll be trusted to develop, fine-tune, and perfect color formulations that meet exact customer specifications. You'll work with modern color-matching systems, software, and spectrophotometers while playing a vital role in quality control and production support.</p> <p>This position is ideal for someone with proven experience in paints, coatings, inks, or pigments who enjoys problem-solving, takes pride in craftsmanship, and thrives in a close-knit, team-oriented environment</p> <p>What You'll Do</p> <ul> <li>Develop, refine, and adjust color formulations to meet customer standards and performance requirements </li><li>Create color chips, drawdowns, and spray samples as visual references for production and quality control </li><li>Operate color-matching software and spectrophotometers to verify, document, and optimize color accuracy </li><li>Identify and leverage existing color matches using digital tools to improve efficiency and consistency </li><li>Calculate sample sizes accurately based on customer ratios, ensuring 100% formula accuracy </li><li>Convert formulas between weight and volume, including wet and dry film thickness calculations </li><li>Compare pigment loadings across batches to ensure consistent color across production runs </li><li>Prepare, spray, and evaluate samples to assess finish, appearance, and coverage </li><li>Apply standard color-coding, labeling, and traceability practices for samples and batches </li><li>Finalize experimental formulas in laboratory systems and maintain accurate digital documentation </li><li>Perform physical property testing, including weight per gallon, specific gravity, pH, and viscosity </li><li>Prepare and evaluate tint and mass-tone drawdowns for epoxy, silicone, plastisol, and water-based systems </li><li>Label raw materials, samples, and batches in accordance with lab procedures </li><li>Maintain a clean, organized, and safe lab using 5S and good housekeeping practices </li><li>Assemble, disassemble, and clean lab equipment following established safety protocols </li><li>Follow all laboratory safety requirements, including the use of PPE such as respirators and safety glasses </li><li>Partner with production and quality teams to troubleshoot and resolve color-related challenges </li><li>Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on color accuracy, repeatability, and efficiency </li><li>Communicate clearly and professionally with teammates, bringing a positive and adaptable mindset </li></ul> <p>What We're Looking For</p> <ul> <li>5-8 years of color-matching experience in paints, coatings, inks, or pigments </li><li>(Candidates with as little as 2 years of strong, relevant experience will be considered) </li><li>Demonstrated experience in R&D color formulation and formula adjustment </li><li>Hands-on proficiency with color-matching systems, color software, and spectrophotometers </li><li>Solid laboratory experience working with wet chemistry and coating systems </li><li>Strong attention to detail, organization, and documentation skills </li><li>Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a small team </li></ul> <p>Why This Role</p> <ul> <li>Work in a specialized, close-knit lab where your expertise directly impacts product quality </li><li>Blend hands-on lab work with problem-solving and collaboration </li><li>Influence both R&D and production outcomes in a visible, meaningful way </li><li>Join a team that values precision, continuous improvement, and shared success </li></ul> <p>Job Type & Location</p> <p>This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Schaumburg, IL.</p> <p>Pay and Benefits</p> <p>The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $34.00/hr.</p> <p>Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:</p> <ul> <li>Medical, dental & vision </li><li>Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital </li><li>401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available </li><li>Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) </li><li>Short and long-term disability </li><li>Health Spending Account (HSA) </li><li>Transportation benefits </li><li>Employee Assistance Program </li><li>Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) </li></ul> <p>Workplace Type</p> <p>This is a fully onsite position in Schaumburg,IL.</p> <p>Application Deadline</p> <p>This position is anticipated to close on May 8, 2026.</p> <p>Diversity, Equity & Inclusion</p> <p>At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:</p> <ul> <li>Hiring diverse talent </li><li>Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection </li><li>Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes </li><li>Ensuring growth opportunities for our people </li></ul> <p>Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.</p> <p>About Actalent</p> <p>Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC-with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.</p> <p>Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.</p>