Research Assistant

Stanford Climate Ventures; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Tynt is seeking a Research Assistant to conduct hands-on experimental work within its dynamic light control platform. You will design experiments, prepare formulations and devices, interpret data, and propose next steps with independence and rigor.

The successful candidate will read literature to bring new techniques and will work closely with senior scientists to set direction and priorities in a fast-moving, non-remote lab environment.

Qualifications

• BS in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field (MS/PhD welcome).
• 2+ years hands-on industrial or applied research experience.
• Demonstrated track record of independent research from question to conclusion with minimal supervision.
• Comfort with wet chemistry, formulation work, and standard analytical methods.
• Ability to read and translate scientific literature into practical experiments.
• Adaptability and comfort with shifting priorities, ambiguity, and rapid change.
• Strong documentation habits and clear written/verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Independently design, run, and interpret experiments with test matrices, controls, and success criteria.
• Prepare, test, and iterate on chemical formulations and R&D devices.
• Review literature and patents to apply findings to current experiments, identifying techniques worth testing at Tynt.
• Bring new ideas and evidence-based solutions to the team.
• Diagnose process and formulation failures and implement corrective actions.
• Analyze data, summarize findings, and recommend next steps.
• Improve and document protocols to boost reproducibility and throughput.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot lab equipment.
• Record results in experimental databases and maintain a clean, safe lab environment.

Skills

Experiment design

Hands-on research

Wet chemistry

Literature review

Documentation & communication

Adaptability

Analytical data interpretation

Lab equipment troubleshooting

Problem solving

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Device fabrication awareness

Formulation chemistry

Electrochemical systems familiarity

Thin-film coating familiarity

Flexible substrates familiarity

Independent work ownership

Startup/R&D pace tolerance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field

Job description

Role Overview

Tynt is seeking a Research Assistant to conduct hands‑on experimental work within Tynt's dynamic light control platform. This role exists to increase Tynt's research throughput, and that only works if the person in it can own problems, not just tasks.

The successful candidate will take a research question and run with it: design the experiments, prepare and test formulations and devices, interpret the data, and come back with conclusions and a recommended next step. You will draw on published literature and patents to bring new techniques, materials, and approaches to the table rather than waiting to be handed a procedure. Senior scientists will set direction and priorities; you will determine how to get there.

This is a deeply hands‑on, in‑lab role with a high bar for independence. It is not an operator or task‑list position, not remote, and not simulation‑only. Tynt moves fast and our priorities shift as we learn, so we need someone who is comfortable with ambiguity and change. If you need every experiment specified for you, or you need the plan to stay fixed for months at a time, this is not the right role. If you see an ambiguous problem and instinctively start sketching the test matrix, it is.

Core Responsibilities

• Independently design, run, and interpret experiments, including defining test matrices, controls, and success criteria

• Prepare, test, and iterate on chemical formulations and R&D devices, refining your approach as you learn

• Review published literature and patents in relevant fields and apply findings to current experiments, identifying techniques, materials, and methods worth testing at Tynt

• Bring new ideas and solutions to the team proactively, with the reasoning and evidence to back them

• Diagnose process and formulation failures independently and implement corrective actions

• Analyze experimental data, summarize findings clearly, and recommend next steps

• Improve and document protocols to increase reproducibility and throughput

• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot lab equipment

• Record results accurately in experimental databases and maintain a clean, safe lab environment

Required Background & Experience

• BS in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent industrial experience (MS or PhD welcome)

• 2+ years of hands‑on industrial or applied research experience

• Demonstrated track record of conducting research independently, from question to conclusion, with minimal supervision

• Comfort with wet chemistry, formulation work, and standard analytical and characterization methods

• Ability to read and digest scientific literature and translate it into practical experimental approaches

• Adaptability and comfort with shifting priorities, ambiguity, and rapid change

• Strong documentation habits and clear written and verbal communication

Strongly Preferred Background

• Depth in formulation chemistry, electrochemical systems, or solution‑based materials

• A jack‑of‑all‑trades profile: comfort crossing into device fabrication, mechanical build, and prototyping is a major plus, since the ideal hire can move fluidly between the chemistry and the hardware

• Experience with thin‑film coating or lamination processes

• Familiarity with optoelectronic devices or flexible substrates

• Prior ownership of an experimental program or workstream, not just contribution to one

• Prior work in a seed or Series A startup or other fast‑moving R&D environment

What This Role Is Not

• Not an operator, technician, or task‑list position

• Not a remote or hybrid position

• Not a simulation‑only, modeling, or documentation‑only role

• Not a role for learning independent research from scratch

• Not a fit for someone who needs fixed, unchanging scope

Why This Role Matters at Tynt

Research throughput is a direct constraint on Tynt's R&D velocity and commercial momentum. Every experiment run and every formulation tested feeds partner commitments, internal milestones, and the company's transition from R&D to product‑ready systems. We have found that independence and adaptability are the difference between a hire that multiplies the team's output and one that consumes it, and this role is scoped, leveled, and compensated for the former. The person in this seat will have immediate, visible impact and direct access to senior technical leadership.