Senior Materials Scientist: Tribology & Advanced Ceramics

Flowserve US Inc; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

Retirement Planning & Financial Well-

Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and H​

Short- and Long-Term Disability

Parental Leave

Life, Supplemental Life, Child, Spouse

Job summary

Flowserve US Inc. is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist - Tribology & Advanced Ceramics to lead the development of next-generation materials for mechanical seals and rotating equipment.

You will drive innovation across ceramics, coatings, carbon materials, and surface engineering, with a focus on reliability and durability. The role demands a hands-on lab focus, extensive experience in tribology, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to optimize material selection and processing.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of industrial experience in materials research and development, advanced materials engineering, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience developing and advancing material systems, formulations, or material technologies in a commercial environment.
• Strong expertise in tribology, including friction, wear, lubrication behavior, contact mechanics, and degradation mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and development of advanced materials, coatings, and surface-engineered solutions for mechanical seal and rotating equipment applications.
• Develop innovative material systems that improve seal-face performance, wear resistance, dry-running capability, and overall product durability.
• Design and execute tribology, material characterization, and validation testing to evaluate friction, wear, lubrication behavior, and thermal performance.
• Perform root-cause investigations on laboratory, manufacturing, and field failures, identifying degradation mechanisms and recommending corrective actions.
• Apply advanced characterization techniques including optical microscopy, electron microscopy, hardness testing, profilometry, and surface analysis methods.
• Partner with product engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams to optimize material selection, processing methods, and product performance.
• Collaborate with universities, research organizations, laboratories, and technology partners to accelerate material innovation and development.
• Serve as the technical authority for tribology and advanced seal-face materials, providing guidance across engineering, manufacturing, and customer-facing teams.

Skills

Tribology

Material characterization

Advanced ceramics

Coatings

Surface engineering

Root-cause investigations

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Master's degree in relevant field

PhD preferred

Tools

Optical microscopy

Electron microscopy

Hardness testing

Profilometry

Surface analysis

Job description

Flowserve US Inc. is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist - Tribology & Advanced Ceramics to lead the development of next-generation materials for mechanical seals and rotating equipment.

You will drive innovation across ceramics, coatings, carbon materials, and surface engineering, with a focus on reliability and durability. The role demands a hands-on lab focus, extensive experience in tribology, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to optimize material selection and processing.