Formulation Chemist

MIT Lincoln Laboratory; Lexington (MA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

Pension

401K

Paid leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Advanced Materials and Microsystems Group in Lexington, MA seeks a technical staff to spearhead organic/inorganic formulations for coatings, 3-D direct ink write printing, and microelectronics packaging for national security applications.

The role combines material synthesis, processing, and characterization with AI-enabled rapid materials discovery, collaboration with sponsors, and occasional travel to conferences and meetings.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• Experience developing and analyzing formulations for coatings or materials.
• Ability to train, mentor, and build research teams.
• Active or eligible to obtain a Secret security clearance.
• Excellent written and spoken communication to diverse audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on experimental research in formulations development, synthesis, processing, and characterization.
• Utilize spectroscopy and mass spectrometry for material analysis and validation.
• Define a strategic roadmap for the materials enterprise aligned with national security priorities.
• Serve as a SME for AI-enabled rapid material discovery programs.
• Identify and propose new R&D opportunities with sponsors, academia, and industry.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Team collaboration

Communication

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science or related field

Tools

Spectroscopy

Mass spectrometry

Job description

The mission of the Advanced Materials and Microsystems Group in the Advanced Technology Division is to research and develop a broad array of electronic, electro-optic, and RF materials and devices to develop leap-ahead capability in support of national security. Our materials research enterprise spans the materials development cycle from computation and theory to growth, processing, and characterization, and complements RF, imager, and quantum computing technology development in the division.

Job Description

The Advanced Materials and Microsystems Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory seeks a technical staff to spearhead and grow the enterprise focused on organic/inorganic formulations for coatings, 3-D direct ink write printing, and microelectronics advanced packaging applications for critical national security applications. Related efforts include organic synthesis of new monomers, polymers, surfactants, binders and transition of those materials from exploratory research to repeatable lab-scale production. Additional responsibilities will include the development of experimental methods as part of the AI-enabled rapid materials discovery team. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strategic business acumen and strong interdisciplinary collaboration skills. Occasional travel is required to meet with sponsors and participate in professional conferences.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct hands-on experimental research in formulations development, materials synthesis, processing, and characterization
• Strong background in experimental characterization methods, such as spectroscopy and mass spectrometry
• Help develop and execute a strategic roadmap for the materials enterprise, aligning experimental research with national security priorities
• Serve as a subject matter expert for the formulation and processing thrust of the AI-enabled rapid material discovery program
• Define and propose new research and development opportunities with government agencies, academic institutions, and industry
• Manage project timelines, budgets, and reporting to meet organizational and sponsor objectives
• Lead, mentor, and participate in multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of innovation, excellence, and collaboration
• Write and publish technical reports, manuscripts, and proposals detailing research methods, findings, and strategic implications.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science or related field. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to create, fabricate, and analyze formulations for specific applications and use cases
• Demonstrated ability to train, mentor, and build teams
• Active or eligible to obtain a Secret security clearance
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including ability to communicate experimental results to experts and non-experts, government sponsors, and internal stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills

Desired Skills

• Demonstrated ability to formulate complex coatings and engineer their composition-property relationships
• Understanding of colloid science, rheology, adhesion, and surface modifiers in a broad set of coating and substrate systems
• Expertise in synthesis of new monomers, polymers, surfactants, binders and transition of those materials from exploratory research to repeatable lab-scale production
• Expertise in 3-D direct ink write printing formulation across a broad set of materials
• Development of new materials for microelectronics advanced packaging applications
• Understanding of effect of radiation on materials with applications to radiation shielding of microelectronics
• Familiarity with computational materials science with linkage to experimental methods
• Experience in successfully guiding and leading interdisciplinary technical programs
• Experience defining and executing technology roadmaps
• Six or more years of post-graduate experience as an experimental materials researcher

Expertise outside the named disciplines will be considered for exceptional candidates

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $145,200-$170,000

Experienced Hiring Range: $145,200-$220,000

Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including—but not limited to—the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.

At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.