Lead R&D Engineer - Ballistic Materials & Armor (Hybrid)

Socket.dev; Colonial Heights (VA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) match

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Educational Assistance

Parental Leave

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Job summary

Solstice Advanced Materials is seeking a Lead R&D Engineer to guide the new product pipeline for ballistic materials, focusing on soft body armor, collaborating with Marketing, Sales, and Technology teams. The role is based at our Colonial Heights, VA facility with a hybrid schedule, reporting to the General Manager.

This position provides hands-on oversight, development, and optimization of customer-facing ballistic solutions, with responsibilities spanning design, testing, and collaboration

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Polymers/Composite Materials, Materials Science or related field.
• 10+ years of experience with soft body armor materials, processing, ballistic and non-ballistic testing.

Responsibilities

• Optimize composite material processing guidelines for soft armor applications
• Hands-on system design, lay-up, and equipment operation required for part fabrication
• Coordinate prototype development which includes but is not limited to: sample and test matrix definition, work order drafting, laboratory scheduling, prioritization, execution, testing and communication of results
• Collaborate with armor manufacturers, military R&D organizations, and Program Offices to establish comprehensive understanding of current and future body armor program specifications
• Define the fundamental composite material property linkages to end article performance and provide the functional product attribute characterization protocols and targets necessary to achieve ballistic and non-ballistic system level requirements
• Identify and assess emerging materials, manufacturing processes, and characterization techniques for technology roadmap considerations
• Represent Solstice Technology organization in customer meetings, global trade shows, and technical conferences
• Provide technical oversight and support for customer quality resolution, manufacturing initiatives, and new product development
• Draft scientific publications, white papers, solicitation responses, invention disclosures, and intellectual property materials as needed

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Polymers/Composite Materials, Materials Science or other related scientific or technical discipline

Job description

Solstice Advanced Materials is seeking a Lead R&D Engineer to guide the new product pipeline for ballistic materials, focusing on soft body armor, collaborating with Marketing, Sales, and Technology teams. The role is based at our Colonial Heights, VA facility with a hybrid schedule, reporting to the General Manager.

This position provides hands-on oversight, development, and optimization of customer-facing ballistic solutions, with responsibilities spanning design, testing, and collaboration