Engineer, Membrane development

ohmium; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ohmium is seeking a highly skilled membrane scientist to lead PFSA ionomer development for PEM water electrolysis. You will design membranes, assess durability and gas crossover, and drive characterization from lab scale to pilot production.

Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent with polymer chemistry experience and have hands-on electrochemical testing expertise. The role is based in Bengaluru and offers a collaborative, growth-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or master's with relevant polymer/chemistry expertise and industry experience.
• Experience with electrochemical methods and PFSA ionomer chemistry is required.
• Strong background in membrane structure, durability under differential pressure, and high current operation.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop PFSA membranes by tailoring polymer architecture and thickness.
• Balance conductivity, mechanical strength and gas crossover in advanced membranes.
• Optimize ionomer dispersions, solvent systems, EW, solids content, rheology and annealing.
• Measure conductivity, IEC, water uptake, swelling, tensile properties and creep.
• Translate lab processes to pilot roll-to-roll casting and coating with QC specs.

Skills

EIS

Polarization curves

PFSA ionomer chemistry

Membrane durability

Electrochemical testing

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering/Polymer Chemistry/Polymer Engineering or related field

M.Sc./M.Tech (Polymer chemistry/Polymer science and technology) with 3+ years experience

Tools

FTIR

NMR

TGA

DSC

DMA

SAXS/WAXS

SEM/EDX

XPS

Job description

Job Description

• 1. Design and develop advanced PFSA membranes by tailoring polymer architecture and membrane thickness through solution casting and coating processes to enhance PEM water electrolyzer performance and durability.
• 2. Develop advanced structure and composite membranes to balance conductivity, mechanical strength and gas crossover.
• 3. Optimize ionomer dispersions: solvent systems, equivalent weight (EW), solids content, rheology and annealing conditions.
• 4. Measure proton conductivity (in-plane and through-plane), IEC, water uptake, swelling, tensile and creep properties.
• 5. Develop and implement component-level test methodologies to evaluate and characterize membrane properties, including mechanical, chemical, thermal, and electrochemical performance.
• 6. Run accelerated stress tests: Fenton/OCV chemical degradation, fluoride release rate, mechanical cycling and pressure-differential tests.
• 7. Use characterization techniques like FTIR, NMR, TGA, DSC, DMA, SAXS/WAXS, SEM/EDX and XPS to relate structure to performance.
• 8. Assess H₂/O₂ crossover and membrane behavior in single-cell and short-stack electrolyzer tests with the MEA level
• 9. Transfer lab processes to pilot roll-to-roll casting/coating with process engineering; define specs and QC methods.
• 10. Analyze the post operated MEA to identify the failure modes (Thinning, Pinholes and chemical attack etc.)
• 11. Qualify advanced membrane technologies through rigorous testing, reliability assessment, and performance verification under application-relevant operating conditions.
• 12. Develop and implement safe work practices for PFSA ionomer handling and testing.
• 13. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate membrane performance requirements into robust qualification plans and acceptance criteria.

Education and Experience Required

• 1. Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering/Polymer Chemistry/Polymer Engineering or a related field with 1+ years of industry experience or M.Sc./M.Tech (Polymer chemistry/Polymer science and technology) with 3+ years of industry experience
• 2. Experience with electrochemical methods: EIS, polarization curves, conductivity cells, gas crossover measurement.
• 3. Working knowledge of PFSA ionomer chemistry: EW, side-chain structure, phase-separated morphology, and degradation mechanisms is required.
• 4. Background in membrane durability under high differential pressure, high current density or dynamic operation is essential.
• 5. Exposure to hydrocarbons or PFAS-free ionomer alternatives is desired
• 6. Track record of peer-reviewed publications or patents in ion-exchange membranes is preferred.

Ohmium Culture

At Ohmium, you are expected to embody and champion our core cultural values:

Accountability : I own my tasks and execute on time . Demonstrate strong accountability by owning deliverables and decisions, ensuring timely and consistent results.

Teamwork : I will not let other teams fail. Takes ownership beyond own team to support cross-team success and prevent failures, thereby fostering a collaborative work environment.

Learning Mindset : I drive change and learn from mistakes. Exhibits a strong growth mindset by proactively leading meaningful change and consistently learning from experience.

Winning Attitude : I compete to win. Showing up every day with a strong perspective, to drive results and be the BEST in Green Energy.

Responsible to develop perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer membranes for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. This role owns membrane formulation, casting, and its component level characterization, from lab scale through pilot transfer, with a focus on durability, performance gas crossover and cost.

Ohmium is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.