Materials Scientist, Process Development

RiseMe; Aliso Viejo (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

RxSight, an ophthalmic medical technology company in Aliso Viejo, California, seeks a Materials Scientist to lead development from concept to manufacturing transfer. You will study silicone- and acrylic-based materials, modeling and testing processing variables to ensure robust production.

The role requires strong analytical skills, cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory, and experience with DOE and data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related discipline.
• Significant experience with polymeric or soft-material systems preferred.
• Experience transferring processes from development to manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead development activities transitioning products from feasibility to process development and manufacturing transfer.
• Develop understanding of material–process interactions and product performance.
• Design experiments to reduce variability and improve process robustness.
• Investigate sources of variation using root-cause methods and DOE.
• Develop mechanistic models and data-driven hypotheses for process improvements.
• Apply statistics and data visualization to identify key drivers of performance.
• Characterize curing, molding, and processing of silicone- and acrylic-based materials.
• Document parameters, operating windows, and controls for scale-up.
• Present findings to project teams and senior management.
• Support troubleshooting in development-scale and pilot-scale manufacturing.

Skills

Polymer science

Silicone materials

Acrylic materials

Design of Experiments

Root-cause analysis

Data analysis

Statistical methods

Material characterization

Education

Ph.D. or M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science

Tools

LIMS

MS Office

Spreadsheet software

Statistical software

Job description

Description

RxSight® is an ophthalmic medical technology corporation headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California that has commercialized the world’s first and only adjustable intraocular lens (IOL) that is customized after cataract surgery. The company’s mission is to revolutionize the premium cataract surgery experience by allowing surgeons to partner with their patients to achieve optimized results for every unique eye.

OVERVIEW:

The Materials Scientist will lead development activities focused on translating generally established materials and prototype manufacturing processes into robust, scalable, and reproducible production processes. This role is responsible for advancing products from feasibility-stage concepts through process development, verification activities, and manufacturing transfer. The successful candidate will develop a deep understanding of silicone- and acrylic-based systems, including material processing, curing, molding, and associated manufacturing operations.

The Materials Scientist will independently identify and investigate sources of process variability, develop mechanistic understanding of material and process behavior, generate and test hypotheses, and implement improvements that enhance consistency, quality, and manufacturability. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, data-driven decision making, and the ability to collaborate effectively across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, and other R&D functions.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead development activities supporting transition of products and processes from feasibility through process development and manufacturing transfer.
• Develop fundamental understanding of interactions between material properties, process conditions, tooling, and product performance.
• Design and execute experimental studies to improve process robustness, reduce variability, and establish process understanding.
• Investigate sources of variation in materials and manufacturing processes using structured root-cause analysis methodologies.
• Develop mechanistic models and data-driven hypotheses to explain process behavior and guide process improvements.
• Apply statistical analysis, design of experiments (DOE), and data visualization techniques to identify key process drivers and optimize performance.
• Characterize and improve curing, molding, handling, and processing operations for silicone- and acrylic-based materials.
• Evaluate material-process interactions and their impact on final product quality, dimensional stability, optical performance, and manufacturability.
• Develop and document process parameters, operating windows, process controls, and characterization methods necessary to support process transfer and scale-up.
• Present technical findings and recommendations to project teams and senior management.
• Support troubleshooting and problem-solving activities related to development-scale and pilot-scale manufacturing processes.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong understanding of polymeric materials, particularly silicones, acrylics, hydrogels, or other soft-material systems.
• Experience with polymer processing, curing, molding, manufacturing scale-up, or process development activities.
• Understanding of relationships between materials, processing conditions, microstructure, and product performance.
• Familiarity with surface chemistry, surface modification, coatings, release mechanisms, or related phenomena affecting manufacturing processes is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to independently solve complex technical problems in a development environment.
• Strong root-cause investigation and troubleshooting skills.
• Experience developing mechanistic understanding of complex systems through experimentation and analysis.
• Strong statistical analysis capabilities, including design of experiments, multivariate analysis, and process capability assessment.
• Ability to analyze large and complex datasets and translate findings into actionable process improvements.
• Experience using scientific programming, statistical software, or advanced data analysis tools is desirable.
• Experience with materials characterization techniques relevant to soft materials and polymers, such as rheology, spectroscopy, thermal analysis, microscopy, mechanical testing, or related methods.
• Ability to select and apply appropriate characterization techniques to investigate material and process behavior.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross-functional environments.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• None initially.
• May provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior scientists, engineers, technicians, or cross-functional project teams.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND TRAINING:

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related discipline.
• Significant experience working with polymeric or soft-material systems is strongly preferred and may be considered more important than specific degree discipline.
• Experience supporting transfer of processes from development environments into manufacturing environments preferred.
• Experience with silicone, acrylic, ophthalmic, or medical-device materials is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated success identifying, analyzing, and resolving complex process variability issues through experimental investigation and data-driven decision making.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• None

COMPUTER SKILLS:

• MS Office
• Spreadsheet Software
• Laboratory Information Management System