Polymer Synthesis & Scale-Up Scientist

Leidos; New Jersey; On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos Defense Sector at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ seeks a Synthetic Chemist to design, synthesize, scale up, and characterize novel materials with a focus on advanced polymer systems.

You will design polymer syntheses, optimize processes, and translate bench-scale work into pilot- or large-scale production, while performing literature reviews and preparing technical reports and SOPs to support future initiatives.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Organic or Polymer Chemistry, 2–6 years in industrial R&D/manufacturing.
• Experience in organic/ polymer synthesis (free radical, condensation, ring-opening) or advanced materials development.
• Hands-on with analytical techniques for polymers and organic molecules (HPLC, GPC, NMR, FTIR).
• Strong research mindset: design experiments, troubleshoot, document findings.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute novel synthetic approaches to develop polymers and functional binders.
• Scale-up studies from bench-scale to pilot-scale or larger production.
• Keep up with literature and patent reviews for materials science advances.
• Develop eco-friendly synthesis and processing methods for existing materials.
• Characterize polymers and materials using state-of-the-art techniques (GPC/SEC, DSC, TGA, FTIR, NMR).
• Translate research into actionable data via reports, SOPs, and presentations.
• Contribute to technical proposals for future R&D initiatives.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Polymer chemistry

Analytical techniques

NMR spectroscopy

GPC/SEC

Team collaboration

Documentation

Education

BS/MS in Organic or Polymer Chemistry

Tools

HPLC

GPC

NMR

FTIR

Job description

Leidos Defense Sector at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ seeks a Synthetic Chemist to design, synthesize, scale up, and characterize novel materials with a focus on advanced polymer systems.

You will design polymer syntheses, optimize processes, and translate bench-scale work into pilot- or large-scale production, while performing literature reviews and preparing technical reports and SOPs to support future initiatives.