Principal Materials Scientist

MKS Instruments; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

MKS Inc. is seeking a Principal Materials Scientist to lead advanced materials research and development across coatings, ceramics, and metals for next‑gen products. You will guide material selection, qualification, and failure analysis while shaping product strategy and technology roadmaps.

You will collaborate with engineering, product management, and manufacturing to optimize performance, cost, and material availability, mentoring teams and contributing to IP and external collaborations.

Qualifications

• Masters in Materials Science or related field.
• 12+ years of industry experience in materials research or advanced technology environments.
• Deep expertise in material characterization techniques including microscopy, spectroscopy, surface analysis, and thermal/mechanical testing.
• Experience qualifying materials for demanding industrial/semi/conductor/plasma applications.
• Strong understanding of materials reliability and failure analysis methodologies.
• Ability to lead complex technical projects across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven track record of innovation through patents/publications/presentations.

Responsibilities

• Lead research, evaluation, and development of advanced materials for products and processes.
• Provide technical leadership for material selection, qualification, reliability, and root-cause investigations.
• Drive technology roadmaps and roadmaps to differentiate material capabilities.
• Collaborate with product development, manufacturing, and supply chain to optimize performance and cost.
• Design and execute material characterization, testing, and failure analyses.
• Support customer engagements by translating requirements into material solutions.
• Mentor engineers and scientists across projects; influence technical decisions.
• Publish findings, protect IP, and represent MKS in collaborations.

Skills

Materials characterization

Technical leadership

DOE & statistics

Problem solving

Communication

Project leadership

Innovation track record

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Masters in Materials Science/Engineering/Physics/C Chemistry

PhD in Materials Science/Engineering (preferred)

Tools

DOE software

Statistical analysis

Modeling tools

Job description

A Day in Your Life at MKS:

As a Principal Materials Scientist at MKS Inc., you will partner with Engineering, Product Management, Operations, Quality, and key customers to develop and advance innovative materials solutions that enable next-generation products, technologies, and continuous improvement of current products. You will provide technical leadership in materials research, characterization, process development, and failure analysis while influencing product strategy and technology roadmaps. In this role, you will report to the Director of Advanced Development.

You Will Make an Impact By:

• Leading the research, evaluation, and development of advanced materials, coatings, ceramics, and metals used in MKS products and manufacturing processes.

• Providing technical leadership and subject matter expertise for material selection, qualification, reliability improvement, and root cause investigations.

• Driving innovation initiatives and technology roadmaps to create differentiated materials capabilities and competitive advantages.

• Collaborating with product development, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to optimize product performance, cost, manufacturability, and material availability.

• Designing and executing material characterization, testing, and failure analysis activities utilizing advanced analytical techniques.

• Supporting customer engagements by addressing complex technical challenges and translating customer requirements into material solutions.

• Mentoring engineers and scientists while influencing technical decisions across multiple projects and business functions.

• Publishing technical findings, securing intellectual property, and representing MKS in industry, customer, and academic collaborations.

Travel Requirements: Up to 20% of travel is required.

Skills You Bring:

• Masters in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a closely related technical discipline.

• 12+ years of industry experience in materials research, product development, or advanced technology environments.

• Deep expertise in materials characterization techniques, including microscopy, spectroscopy, surface analysis, and thermal/mechanical testing.

• Demonstrated experience developing and qualifying materials for demanding industrial, semiconductor, electronics, vacuum, plasma, or related applications.

• Strong understanding of materials reliability, degradation mechanisms, and failure analysis methodologies.

• Proven ability to lead complex technical projects and influence decisions across multidisciplinary teams.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and technical leadership skills.

• Track record of innovation demonstrated through patents, publications, technical presentations, or commercialization of new technologies.

• Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, and modeling tools.

Preferred Skills: (Optional)

• Ph.D. in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a closely related technical discipline.

• Experience supporting semiconductor capital equipment, advanced packaging, vacuum systems, plasma applications, or advanced manufacturing technologies.

• Expertise in thin films, coatings, surface engineering, ceramics, specialty metals, or advanced composites.

• Knowledge of manufacturing scale-up and materials commercialization processes.

• Experience leading external collaborations with universities, national laboratories, research institutes, or strategic suppliers.

• Demonstrated success developing intellectual property and technology roadmaps.

Supervisory Scope:

• Reporting Relationships: Team leader to other material scientists and test engineering

• Technical Leadership: Responsibilities across multiple projects and teams.

• Financial Responsibilities: Provides technical guidance on technology investments, material qualification activities, and development programs.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Ability to work in laboratory, manufacturing, and office environments.

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds and operate laboratory equipment.

• Periodic use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in laboratory and manufacturing areas.

• May be exposed to chemicals, gases, vacuum systems, and other engineering laboratory environments following established safety procedures.

• Frequent interaction with cross-functional teams, customers, suppliers, and external research partners.

Globally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be “U.S. persons.” “U.S. persons” are generally defined as U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.

MKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“MKS”) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies. MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at: [e-mail].