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USD 100 /hr

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Hire Dr. Nikola K.

Spain

USD 100 /hr

Senior Polymer R&D Advisor | Formulation | Processing & Scale-Up | LCA/PCF | Solving Complex Material Challenges

Profile Summary

I support companies working with polymer materials to solve complex formulation, processing, scale-up, or sustainability challenges. With over 20 years of international experience across industry and applied research, I operate at the interface of polymer science, processing reality and product performance. My work focuses on situations where materials do not behave as expected under real conditions, where development becomes inefficient, or where technical uncertainty delays decisions. Core expertise Polymer engineering & product development ✔️ Material selection and application-driven formulation development ✔️ Compatibility engineering (blends, compounds, recycled systems) ✔️ Process optimization (compounding, extrusion, injection molding) ✔️ Multi-property performance optimization ✔️ Scale-up optimization and stabilization Environmental profiling & impact optimization ✔️ PCF & LCA development (ISO xxxxxxxx, ISO 14067, PEF) ✔️ Method selection and framework alignment ✔️ System boundaries, allocation and end-of-life modeling ✔️ Scope 3 data strategy and supplier integration ✔️ Comparative environmental performance analysis Technical advisory & decision support ✔️ Structured development roadmapping ✔️ Technical feasibility assessment ✔️ Independent technical review and validation ✔️ Support in EU/national innovation projects Typical results • Industrially robust and scalable material solutions • Stable performance under real processing conditions • Reliable scale-up with reduced variability • Audit-ready and standards-aligned PCF/LCA models • Defensible sustainability and circularity claims • Clear, structured technical decisions with reduced risk

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Materials Science & Engineering
• ★ Bioplastics
• ★ Environmental Science
• ☆ Biopolymers
• ☆ Polymer Chemistry
• ☆ Deformulation
• ☆ Composite Materials
• ☆ Solid State Sciences
• ☆ Engineering Education
• ☆ Chemical Engineering
• ☆ Chemical Manufacturing
• ☆ Process Chemistry
• ☆ Environmental Engineering and Technology
• ☆ Industrial Engineering
• ☆ Manufacturing
• ☆ Continuous Process Manufacturing
• ☆ Manufacturing Optimization
• ☆ Environmental Management & Protection
• ☆ Process Engineering
• ☆ Product Evaluation
• ☆ Material Sourcing
• ☆ Reverse Engineering
• ☆ Shelf-Life Testing
• ☆ Product Validation
• ☆ Concept Development
• ☆ Hypothesis
• ☆ Peer Review
• ☆ Research Methodology
• ☆ Feasibility Studies
• ☆ Technology Scouting
• ☆ Fact Checking
• ☆ Literature Search
• ☆ Gap Analysis
• ☆ Process Design
• ☆ Instructional Webinars
• ☆ Skills Training
• ☆ Journal Selection
• ☆ Manuscript & Journal Article Writing
• ☆ Experimental Protocols
• ☆ SOP & Protocol Writing
• ☆ Case Studies
• ☆ Science Communication
• ☆ Literature Review
• ☆ Scientific Proofreading & Editing
• ☆ Proofreading & Editing
• ☆ Course Content Writing
• ☆ Grant Writing
• ☆ Formulation
• ☆ Consumer Products
• ☆ Data-Driven Decision Making

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Product Development

Writing Technical Writing

Research Feasibility Study, Technology Scouting, Fact Checking, Gap Analysis, Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection

Consulting Operations Consulting, Scientific and Technical Consulting, Manufacturing Consulting

Product Development Formulation, Recipe Development, Deformulation, Stability/Shelf Life Testing, Product Evaluation, Material Sourcing, Product Validation, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC), Concept Development, Reverse Engineering

Work Experience

Independent Consultant

PolymerR

July 2025 - Present

Senior Scientist

The Lubrizol Corporation

July 2018 - July 2025

Scientific employee

German Plastic Centre SKZ

October 2007 - June 2018

Research Engineer

Duga

June 2006 - August 2006

Education

PhD (Chemistry)

Julius-Maximilians-University, Wuerzburg, Germany

April 2008 - June 2015

Dipl.-Ing. in Organic Chemical Technology and Polymer Science (equivalent to M.Sc.)

Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Serbia

September 1999 - September 2005

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Nikola Kocic, Sara Lederhofer, Karsten Kretschmer, Martin Bastian, Peter Heidemeyer (2015). Nucleation parameter and size distribution of critical nuclei for nonisothermal polymer crystallization: The influence of the cooling rate and filler . Journal of Applied Polymer Science.

M. Wichmann, A. S. Mondol, N. Kocic, S. Lippert, T. Probst, M. Schwerdtfeger, S. Schumann, T. Hochrein, P. Heidemeyer, M. Bastian, et al. (2013). Terahertz plastic compound lenses . Applied Optics.

Nikola Kocic, Karsten Kretschmer, Martin Bastian, Peter Heidemeyer (2012). The influence of talc as a nucleation agent on the nonisothermal crystallization and morphology of isotactic polypropylene: The application of the Lauritzen–Hoffmann, Avrami, and Ozawa theories . Journal of Applied Polymer Science.

CONFERENCE PAPER

N. Kocic, M. Wichmann, T. Hochrein, P. Heidemeyer, K. Kretschmer, I. Radovanovic, A. S. Mondol, M. Koch, M. Bastian (2014). Lenses for terahertz applications: Development of new materials and production processes . AIP Conference Proceedings.

M. Wichmann, A. S. Mondol, N. Kocic, S. Lippert, T. Probst, S. Schumann, M. Schwerdtfeger, T. Hochrein, P. Heidemeyer, M. Bastian, et al. (2013). Highly refracting terahertz lenses made of polymeric compounds . 2013 38th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz).

M. Wichmann, B. Scherger, S. Lippert, N. Kocic, S. Wietzke, N. Vieweg, C. Jansen, M. Scheller, T. Hochrein, I. Radovanovic, et al. (2011). Terahertz lenses made by compression molding . 2011 International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves.