Sr. R&D Technician

Roadrunner Venture Studio; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care stipend

Equity in a fast-growing startup

Time for self-development and training

Job summary

A leading advanced materials company in Albuquerque is seeking a Senior R&D Technician to enhance its lab and pilot infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of hands-on R&D experience, strong troubleshooting skills, and an ownership mentality. This role involves leading lab buildout efforts, managing a team of technicians, and implementing process improvements to boost experimental efficiency. Competitive compensation and a supportive work environment are provided.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on experience executing R&D projects.
• A craftsman's mindset for building safe, durable lab infrastructure.
• Strong comfort with mechanical, electrical, and process systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead lab buildout efforts, including testing and troubleshooting equipment.
• Implement process improvements for experimental efficiency.
• Maintain a safe and organized lab environment.

Skills

Troubleshooting skills

Team management

EHS compliance knowledge

Mechanical system familiarity

Job description

About Halo Materials

Halo Materials is a venture-backed advanced materials company pioneering novel technologies to produce domestic, cost‑competitive graphite for advanced energy and manufacturing supply chains. Headquartered in New Mexico, home to world‑class national laboratories and a fast‑growing deep tech ecosystem, we are building a scalable, lower‑emissions process to produce high‑performance graphite critical to the batteries that power grid storage, EVs, AI datacenters, drones, and consumer electronics.

Our leadership team brings decades of experience building and scaling hard tech companies across energy, mobility, and advanced materials, with backgrounds at Tesla, Cruise, Pajarito Powder, and DOE‑funded startups, including multiple ventures that have been successfully acquired. The founders care deeply about building technology that strengthens energy systems and domestic manufacturing, while cultivating a high‑functioning, supportive team culture.

Backed by Roadrunner Venture Studios, Halo combines ambitious research and engineering with the operational support, capital access, and long‑term vision needed to grow both the company and the people inside it.

About the Role

Halo Materials is seeking a Senior R&D Technician to accelerate the buildout and operation of our lab and pilot infrastructure. This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role for someone who thrives in dynamic R&D environments and enjoys building, fixing, optimizing, and improving complex systems.

You’ll play a foundational role in enabling faster, more parallelized, and increasingly automated experimentation, while ensuring that safety and operational excellence remain uncompromised. This role is ideal for someone who has a “craftsman” attitude towards their work and also enjoys mentoring others.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead lab buildout efforts, including installation, calibration, testing, and troubleshooting of equipment.
• Enable more parallel, frequent, and automated experiments by improving lab infrastructure and workflows. Identify and implement process improvements that enhance speed, reliability, and experimental throughput.
• Maintain a safe, organized, and high‑performing lab and pilot environment.
• Partner closely with R&D engineers and scientists to align lab operations with evolving experimental priorities.
• Manage and mentor a team of lab technicians, setting standards for craftsmanship, safety, and execution.
• Ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety (EHS) regulations and best practices.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands‑on experience executing R&D projects, including installing, maintaining, and repairing laboratory or pilot‑scale equipment.
• A craftsman’s mindset: pride in building safe, durable, and high‑quality lab infrastructure.
• Deep familiarity with EHS standards and safe lab operations.
• A proactive, collaborative approach to working with scientists and engineers.
• A track record of identifying problems and owning both the diagnosis and solution.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and comfort working across mechanical, electrical, and process systems.
• A “get it done” mentality suited to a fast‑paced startup environment.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in adjacent industries where similar high‑temperature, catalytic, carbon, or materials growth processes are used — such as petrochemicals, advanced ceramics, specialty chemicals, battery materials, semiconductors, metallurgy, or industrial gas processing.

What We Look For (Beyond the Resume)

• A track record of execution — how you design experiments, make decisions with imperfect data, and drive results matters as much as where you’ve worked.
• Comfort operating in both research and production environments; experience in one or both is valuable, but your ability to move science toward application is what counts.
• Ownership mentality with high accountability and curiosity.
• Grit, resilience, and an ability to turn ambiguity into actionable next steps.
• Entrepreneurial speed balanced with technical discipline.

$75,000 - $90,000 a year

Why Join Halo Materials?

• Strengthen Energy & Supply Chains – Work on advanced materials that directly impact batteries, energy systems, and U.S. manufacturing resilience.
• Scale Breakthrough Graphite Technology – Help scale a breakthrough graphite technology from lab experimentation to real commercial production.
• Rigorous Science, Startup Velocity – Join a mission‑driven team that values rigorous science, fast execution, and taking care of its people.
• Technical Ownership & Autonomy – Take meaningful ownership in a technically ambitious environment where your contributions shape the direction of the company.
• Competitive pay, full benefits, and equity – Competitive compensation, strong benefits, and the opportunity to grow quickly inside a serious deep tech venture backed by experienced builders.
• Some of our Benefits:
  • An independent role with a supportive and flexible work environment.
  • Time for self‑development, research, training, conferences, or certification schemes.
  • Full range of competitive benefits including a health care stipend and equity in a fast‑growing startup.