Polymer Chemist – R&D & Scale-Up for Advanced Materials

Leidos Inc; New Jersey; On-site; USD 59,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Synthetic Chemist at the Picatinny Arsenal, NJ site to design, synthesize, and characterize advanced polymer materials. The role emphasizes scale-up, process optimization, and translating lab results into pilot-scale production.

Applicants should have a BS/MS in Organic or Polymer Chemistry with 2–6 years of industrial R&D experience, strong polymer synthesis and analytical skills (HPLC, GPC, NMR, FTIR), and US citizenship.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Organic or Polymer Chemistry with 2–6 years of relevant industrial R&D or manufacturing experience.
• Experience in organic and/or polymer synthesis or advanced materials development.
• Hands-on experience with chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques for polymers and molecules.
• Ability to design experiments, troubleshoot pathways, and document findings.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute novel synthetic approaches to develop new materials, focusing on polymers, macromolecules, and functional binders.
• Conduct process optimization, formulation, and scale-up studies to move lab synthesis to pilot or large-scale production.
• Perform literature searches and patent reviews to stay current on industry materials and polymerization techniques.
• Develop environmentally sustainable synthesis and processing methods for existing materials.
• Characterize polymers and materials using state-of-the-art analytical methods (GPC/SEC, DSC, TGA, FTIR, NMR, rheology).
• Prepare technical reports, SOPs, publications, and presentations translating research into actionable data.

Skills

Polymer Synthesis

Organic Synthesis

Analytical Techniques

Literature Research

Team Collaboration

Education

BS/MS in Organic or Polymer Chemistry

Tools

HPLC

GPC

NMR

FTIR

Job description

Leidos is seeking a Synthetic Chemist at the Picatinny Arsenal, NJ site to design, synthesize, and characterize advanced polymer materials. The role emphasizes scale-up, process optimization, and translating lab results into pilot-scale production.

Applicants should have a BS/MS in Organic or Polymer Chemistry with 2–6 years of industrial R&D experience, strong polymer synthesis and analytical skills (HPLC, GPC, NMR, FTIR), and US citizenship.