Materials Scientist

KA Group | Knight Auto; Singapore; On-site; SGD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

KA Group | Knight Auto in Singapore seeks a senior materials engineer to lead and support new product and system design, material improvements, and failure analysis to meet customer and business requirements.

You will apply materials science, chemical engineering, and surface engineering knowledge to solve technical challenges, evaluate materials for high vacuum and corrosive environments, and collaborate with cross-functional teams worldwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree or higher in engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years in materials engineering or semiconductor-related roles.
• Hands-on experience with coatings, surface engineering, and material selection.
• Familiar with high vacuum, plasma environments and corrosive chemistries.
• Experience in failure analysis and root-cause investigations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support product and system design and material improvements.
• Apply materials science and chemical engineering to solve technical challenges.
• Identify new product-to-market opportunities from trends and roadmaps.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on launches and go-to-market campaigns.
• Support business case development, budgeting, and operational processes.

Skills

Materials engineering

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Stakeholder management

Travel willingness

Education

Degree in Engineering, Science or Chemical/Materials Engineering

Tools

PVD

CVD

Sputtering

Nickel plating

Electroplating

SEM/EDS

FTIR

DSC

Job description

• Lead and support new product, system design, and material improvement initiatives to meet customer and business requirements.
• Apply material science and chemical engineering knowledge to solve technical challenges and improve product performance.
• Identify new product-to-market and application opportunities based on market trends, customer roadmaps, and technology developments.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders on product marketing, product launch, and successful go-to-market campaigns.
• Support business case development, cost evaluation, budgeting, and other operational processes required for business sustainability and improvement.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Engineering, Operations, Quality, Sales, Product Marketing, customers, and external vendors.
• Provide technical input and recommendations on materials, surface treatment, coating, process controls, and failure analysis matters.

Requirements

• Degree in Engineering, Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in the semiconductor industry.
• Strong hands-on experience in materials, chemistry, surface engineering, coating, or related manufacturing processes.
• Experience in material selection and qualification for ferrous alloys, non-ferrous materials, and engineering plastics, including stainless steel, aluminium, titanium alloys, PEEK, PI, or equivalent materials.
• Familiar with material requirements for high vacuum, plasma environments, extreme temperatures, and corrosive chemistries such as halogens, acids, bases, solvents, and cleaning chemicals.
• Experience in evaluating chemical and elastomer compatibility, including materials such as Viton and other engineering polymers used in semiconductor or process equipment applications.
• Knowledge of surface engineering, electroplating, and coating processes such as nickel plating, electroless nickel plating, PVD, CVD, sputtering, evaporation, or arc deposition.
• Able to define and troubleshoot process controls relating to plating adhesion, coating defects, porosity, thickness uniformity, vacuum levels, gas flow, deposition rate, temperature, and related parameters.
• Experience working with CNC machining vendors on material-specific requirements, including tool selection, cutting fluids, residual stress management, surface finish, heat treatment, annealing, stress relief, passivation, and cleaning.
• Familiar with statistical process control and material acceptance criteria such as tensile strength, hardness, grain size, porosity, and surface finish requirements.
• Experience in failure analysis and root cause investigation relating to corrosion, fatigue, wear, chemical attack, hydrogen embrittlement, galvanic corrosion, creep, or related material failure modes.
• Familiar with analytical and testing methods such as SEM/EDS, FTIR, DSC, optical microscopy, hardness testing, salt spray testing, or equivalent techniques.
• Strong analytical skills with creative thinking and problem-solving ability, supported by knowledge of market trends, leading technologies, and industry practices.
• Exposure to international or regional customers and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with ability to engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Effective communication in English. Knowledge of other Asian languages will be an advantage.
• Willingness to travel on short or long notice, as required by business needs.
• Resilient and adaptable in a VUCA business environment.