R&D Chemist

Isola Group; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Isola Group in Singapore is seeking a Senior Materials & Formulation Chemist to drive the development of advanced polymer and composite systems for microelectronics. The role combines hands-on formulation with reliability engineering, addressing thermal cycling and degradation mechanisms to ensure robust performance in demanding applications.

The ideal candidate has 5–10 years in industrial settings related to microelectronics or advanced polymers, with experience across multiple formulation

Qualifications

• Academic focus in Organic or Polymer Chemistry with strong practical formulation experience.
• 5–10 years of industrial experience in microelectronics or related polymer systems.
• Experience across multiple formulation-centric environments and exposure to failure analysis or reliability studies is a major advantage.

Responsibilities

• Design formulations with reliability intent, focusing on thermal and environmental cycling stability and multi-vector performance.
• Develop and optimize hybrid and filled material systems with ceramic or inorganic fillers and modifiers.
• Assess materials for early degradation signs and sensitivity to process or use-condition variation; mitigate failure drivers.
• Perform hands-on blending and formulation at lab and pilot scales and translate concepts into robust, reproducible processes.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineers, reliability teams, and manufacturing to ensure material suitability across field use.

Skills

Formulation

Polymer chemistry

Reliability testing

Failure analysis

Education

Organic Chemistry

Polymer Chemistry

Job description

Senior Materials & Formulation Chemist – Microelectronics‑Grade Polymer Systems

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly capable Senior Materials / Formulation Chemist to support the development and optimization of advanced polymer and composite material systems used in high reliability, microelectronics related applications.

This role is suited for a technically strong, hands on scientist who combines chemical formulation expertise with a solid understanding of material reliability, failure mechanisms, and long term performance under stress. The successful candidate will be comfortable working across multiple resin systems, hybrid formulations, and ceramic or inorganic filler technologies, and will bring a practical, exploratory mindset to materials development.

Key Responsibilities

Formulation with Reliability Intent

• Design and explore polymer‑based and hybrid material formulations with a focus on:
• Stability under thermal and environmental cycling
• Balanced performance across multiple stress vectors
• Explore formulation space across different resin families, rather than being confined to a single chemistry platform.

Hybrid & Filled Material Systems

• Develop and optimize formulations incorporating:
• Ceramic or inorganic fillers
• Functional particulates and modifiers
• Understand how filler selection, loading, and dispersion influence:
• Failure initiation and propagation

Failure‑Aware Material Development

• Evaluate materials not just for “meets spec,” but for:
• Early warning signs of degradation
• Sensitivity to process or use‑condition variation
• Use formulation levers to mitigate common failure drivers such as:
• Thermal fatigue
• Long‑term chemical or structural instability

Blending, Scale‑Up & Process Robustness

• Perform hands‑on blending and formulation work at laboratory and pilot scale.
• Translate formulation concepts into process‑robust systems with reproducible behavior.
• Anticipate how formulation decisions impact downstream manufacturing consistency and field reliability.

Cross‑Disciplinary Interaction

• Work effectively with engineers, reliability teams, and manufacturing stakeholders.
• Support material troubleshooting informed by real application and field behavior, not only laboratory metrics.
• Participate in material benchmarking with an emphasis on durability, margin, and robustness, rather than single‑point optimization.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Organic Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry
• Academic focus must be complemented by strong practical formulation experience.

Experience

• 5–10 years of industrial experience in one or more of the following environments:
• Microelectronics or electronic materials
• Advanced polymers, composites, or hybrid material systems
• Experience across multiple formulation‑centric organizations is strongly preferred.
• Exposure to failure analysis, reliability testing, or degradation studies is a major advantage.

What Makes This Role Different

• This is not a single‑chemistry, recipe‑maintenance role.
• The position rewards curiosity and controlled experimentation across material systems.
• Success is measured by robustness, reliability margins, and behavior under stress, not only initial property values.
• Ideal for candidates who enjoy working at the intersection of chemistry, microelectronics, and reliability engineering.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Thinks in terms of why materials fail, not just how they pass
• Comfortable navigating ambiguous formulation space
• Values durability and repeatability as much as performance
• Practical, hands‑on, and technically grounded, versed with IPC, ASTM, MIL

What This Role Offers

• Broad exposure to diverse resin and composite systems
• Opportunity to shape material direction without being locked into disclosed chemistries
• A technically rigorous environment that values insight, judgment, and material intuition