Product Development Materials Engineer

Premier Dental US; Rockford (IL); Remote; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the dental industry is seeking a Product Development Materials Engineer. This fully remote position involves supporting R&D for dental materials, overseeing product creation, and ensuring compliance with safety standards. Candidates should have extensive experience in medical device development, particularly in the dental sector, with a strong educational background in materials science.

Qualifications

• Over eight years of experience in product development of medical devices or oral care products.
• Strong understanding of materials science, including properties and manufacturing processes.
• Experience with restorative and preventative dental products preferred.

Responsibilities

• Designing dental material compositions and optimizing their performance.
• Overseeing projects and collaborating with various teams to launch new products.
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory standards during development.

Skills

Materials Science

Problem Solving

Project Management

Communication

Data Analysis

Education

PhD or Master's Degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering

Job description

Reports to the VP of New Product Development and is fully remote within the continental US. Occasional trips to the HQ in Plymouth Meeting, PA, are expected.

Position summary :

A Product Development Materials Engineer is responsible for supporting research and development of new dental materials, product enhancements, and redesigns focused on dental materials used in restorative and preventative dentistry. The role involves planning and coordinating testing, analyzing data, and collaborating with external partners and internal teams to ensure materials meet clinical requirements, safety standards, and market demands. This position requires exercising independent judgment. This job description provides an overview but is not exhaustive of all activities, duties, or responsibilities.

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Key responsibilities may include :

• Originating new products aligned with customer needs and business strategies.
• Designing and creating new dental material compositions, optimizing properties, biocompatibility, and performance.
• Overseeing key projects, processes, performance reports, data, and analysis.
• Negotiating contracts with consulting firms, universities, individuals, and labs for research and support.
• Collaborating with dental professionals to conduct user evaluations and assess product performance.
• Staying updated on advancements in dental materials science by reviewing scientific literature and identifying new technologies.
• Contributing to the development and protection of patents related to dental innovations.
• Refining manufacturing processes to ensure quality and scalability of dental materials.
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory standards (FDA, ISO) throughout development.
• Working closely with product development, marketing, quality control, and clinical research teams to bring new dental materials to market.

Required skills and qualifications :

• At least eight years of experience in product development of medical devices and/or oral care products; experience in Professional Dental Products market preferred.
• Strong understanding of materials science, including properties, testing, and manufacturing processes. Experience with restorative and preventative dental products (bioactive materials, composites, cements, adhesives, dentifrices, varnishes, 3D printing materials) is preferred.
• Experience with experimental design, data analysis, and scientific literature review.
• Ability to interpret technical data related to physical and performance testing of materials.
• Familiarity with FDA device regulations.
• Problem-solving skills; ability to analyze data, establish facts, and draw conclusions.
• Project management skills with a track record of completing projects effectively.
• Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to troubleshoot and develop solutions during product development.
• Collaborative and open communication style.
• Energetic and enthusiastic; accountable and able to hold others accountable.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the US; limited international travel.

Education :

PhD or Master's Degree in materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or related field with a focus on polymer science. PhD preferred.