Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Lead a small team of Materials Scientists and Technicians to support the Materials Science goals of Purple 

• Perform laboratory investigations into modifications and improvements of Hyper-Elastic Polymer Gels relating to both the product and processes under the supervision of senior staff. 

• Own the organized and well-documented laboratory notebook/report structure. 

• Develop blending, formulation, and experimentation plans for various projects using efficient DOE methodology. 

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks according to team, department, and company goals. 

• Support team members with project planning and mentorship. 

• Plan and perform mechanical and physical testing of formulations. 

• Direct literature research pertaining to current and new areas of investigation. 

• Publish internal reports and present research findings to senior staff relating to ongoing and completed projects. 

• Act as liaison between Material Science and internal teams (Production, Quality, and Engineering). 

• Travel occasionally off-site to corporate sites and vendor sites, <10%.  Travel to technical conferences will also be occasionally required. 

Required Skills, Education, Experience: 

• Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science and Engineering, or Chemical Engineering or other relevant scientific area with 7-10 years’ experience in relevant fields. 

• Leadership and mentorship skills to manage other materials scientists and technicians in a professional manner and develop their skills. 

• Extensive knowledge of polymer structure, physical chemistry, and polymer characterization techniques. 

• Extensive knowledge of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), melt flow processing (MFI), rheology (ODR/ESR), Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, benchtop injection molding. 

• Strong technical writing skills for communicating advanced scientific concepts to a variety of audiences. 

• Proficient with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams). 

Our ideal candidate brings… 

• Experience with oil-extended elastomer gels and rheological testing. 

• Track record developing novel, patentable solutions to technical problems. 

• Exposure to the Stage Gate process. 

Physical Requirements 

Physical activities may occasionally include:  

• Ability to lift 25-30 pounds 

• Ability to work with mixing equipment/respirator for raw materials addition. 

Physical activities may constantly include:  

• Communicating with others to exchange information. 

• Repetitive motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers. 

• Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of work assigned. 

Environmental Conditions may occasionally include:  

• Noisy instrumentation in laboratories