Senior Scientist

AirJoule; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a passionate Senior Scientist to lead the development of advanced coatings for groundbreaking atmospheric water harvesting technology. This role involves designing and optimizing high-performance waterborne coatings, collaborating cross-functionally, and mentoring junior scientists. The ideal candidate will possess a Ph.D. and extensive experience in coating formulation and polymer chemistry. Join a team dedicated to making a significant impact on sustainability while advancing your career in a dynamic and collaborative environment. If you're ready to drive innovation and contribute to a greener future, this opportunity is for you!

Benefits

Health Care Coverage

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance Options

Disability Coverage

Paid Time Off

Vision Insurance

Qualifications

• 3+ years of industrial R&D experience in coatings and adhesives.
• Experience with coating-substrate interface studies on aluminum.
• Familiarity with ASTM/ISO test standards for coatings.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D projects on advanced waterborne coatings for aluminum.
• Collaborate across functions to ensure coating solutions meet requirements.
• Mentor junior team members in formulation development and testing.

Skills

Coating Formulation

Polymer Chemistry

Material Characterization

Analytical Techniques

Statistical Analysis

Communication Skills

Education

Ph.D. in Chemistry

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

Ph.D. in Materials Science

Tools

XRD

SEM

Rheometer

FTIR

NMR

Job description

Title: Senior Scientist (Formulation/Coating)

Position Type: Full Time, Exempt

Travel: Occasional

About AirJoule, LLC

Are you passionate about making a difference in the fight against climate change? Then AirJoule is the place for you! We are a joint venture between GE Vernova and AirJoule Technologies (formerly Montana Technologies), and a leader in the global sustainability transition. Our revolutionary atmosphere water harvesting technology enables transformative HVAC products that help our customers save money on their energy bills while reducing their environmental impact. The same core technology also enables atmospheric water harvesting products that create clean, abundant, and decentralized water for industrial, commercial, and humanitarian purposes. If you are a highly motivated and experienced individual who wants to make a real-world impact, we encourage you to apply!

Position Summary

AirJoule is seeking a Ph.D.-level Senior Scientist – Formulation & Coating to lead the development of advanced, high-performance coatings central to our breakthrough atmospheric water harvesting technology. Based at our Wilmington, DE R&D Center, this role focuses on designing and optimizing waterborne coating systems that deliver excellent performance in demanding thermal and moisture environments with strong substrate compatibility.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in coating formulation, polymer chemistry, and material characterization, along with hands-on experience in a wide range of analytical and application techniques. You will drive development from concept through commercialization while mentoring junior scientists and collaborating cross-functionally to bring innovative materials to market.

Key Responsibilities

To perform in this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each key responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

• Lead R&D projects focused on the design, formulation, testing, and application of advanced waterborne coatings tailored for aluminum substrates.
• Define raw material specifications, structure–property targets, and analytical strategies to guide formulation and performance optimization.
• Apply an extensive toolkit of material characterization techniques to understand coating morphology, surface interaction, durability, and failure modes.
• Collaborate across functions (engineering, manufacturing, quality, business) to ensure coating solutions meet system-level and customer-driven requirements.
• Optimize formulation rheology and processability; support coating application and scale-up from lab to pilot and production scale.
• Stay current with literature and patent landscapes; contribute to IP development through innovation and competitive benchmarking.
• Mentor and guide junior team members in formulation development, testing, and data interpretation.
• Champion a safe, organized, and collaborative lab environment; support SOPs, equipment maintenance, and audit readiness.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field (required); strong emphasis on polymer or surface chemistry preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of industrial R&D experience in coatings, adhesives, dispersions, or composites, with at least 2 years focused on waterborne systems.
• Direct experience with coating-substrate interface studies on aluminum or other metal alloys.
• Familiarity with ASTM/ISO test standards for coatings and accelerated aging protocols.
• Experience with dip coating, flow coating, E-coating, powder coating, or other industrial application methods is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong background in formulating waterborne coatings, including pigment/sorbent dispersion, emulsion stabilization, pH control, and rheological optimization.
• Extensive hands-on experience with coating characterization techniques, including:
• XRD, SEM, EDS, XPS, AFM, Rheometer, TGA, DSC, FTIR, Raman, NMR, Contact Angle, Surface Energy, DVS, UV-Vis, and Colorimetry.
• Deep understanding of coating performance on metal alloys, including knowledge of surface treatments and oxide layer behavior.
• Skilled in DOE (Design of Experiments), statistical analysis, and FMEA for formulation optimization and risk assessment.
• Proven ability to design and execute environmental and accelerated aging studies to assess coating performance and longevity.
• Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional product development, from ideation and lab validation through pilot scale-up and production support.
• Strong communication skills with experience presenting to internal stakeholders, technical partners, and commercial customers.
• Highly self-motivated, organized, and capable of managing multiple projects in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
• Proficient in intellectual property strategy, including drafting patent claims, reviewing competitive IP, and scouting for innovation.
• Committed to lab excellence, including equipment maintenance, chemical inventory, safety compliance, and quality system support.

In addition to good working conditions and competitive pay, it is AirJoule’s policy to provide a comprehensive benefits package that provides access to plans which support the overall well-being of our employees and their dependents. These benefits include, but are not limited to, health care coverage (medical, dental, vision, pharmacy), a retirement plan that includes a 401K, Life Insurance options, Disability coverage, paid time-off, and more.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should submit their resume with a cover letter outlining their qualifications to Human Resources via email at [e-mail].

AirJoule, LLC does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, personal appearance, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other status protected under law.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Science, Research, and Manufacturing

• Industries

  Renewable Energy Semiconductor Manufacturing

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at AirJoule by 2x

Inferred from the description for this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Disability insurance

Get notified about new Senior Scientist jobs in Wilmington, DE.

Senior Scientist/Principal Scientist, Analytical Sciences & Operations

Sr Scientist, Extractables and Leachables

Senior Scientist/Principal Scientist, Analytical Sciences & Operations

Philadelphia, PA $100,000.00-$140,000.00 3 months ago

Director / Senior Director, Clinical Research Scientist

Principal Scientist, Analytical Comparability & Product Characterization – Advanced Therapies

Swedesboro, NJ $100,000.00-$120,000.00 2 weeks ago

Senior Director/ Director, Clinical Research Scientist

Senior Manager / Associate Director, Clinical Research Scientist

Scientist/Sr. Scientist Pharmaceutical Analysis-Small Molecule

Director, Global Real-World Evidence & Health Outcomes Research Scientist-Pipeline-Vaccines (mRNA)

Senior Associate Investigator- Analytical Chemist

Analytical Sciences Senior Scientist - Trace Level Quantitative Mass Spectrometry

Senior Scientist-Method Development-Large Molecule Bioanalysis

Senior Scientist - Method Development-Biomarker LC-MS/MS

Associate Dean, Clinical and Translational Sciences

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.