Research Scientist - Polymer Chemist

The Research Scientist will be an integral member of the Photonic, Electronic, and Soft Materials Division, contributing to key research initiatives within the Polymers and Specialty Materials Branch. Primary responsibilities include synthesizing and characterizing self-healing polymers, elastomers, and functional materials. Focus areas emphasize nanomaterials and functional polymers to enhance performance and introduce advanced functionalities.

This role utilizes both conventional synthetic methods and machine learning-driven approaches for material design and optimization. Extensive experience with polymer and nanomaterial characterization techniques is essential, including GPC for molecular weight analysis, NMR for structural characterization, DMA for viscoelastic profiling, tensile testing for mechanical properties, FTIR for functional group identification, and AFM for nanoscale surface characterization.

Work will occur within a government facility as part of a collaborative research environment dedicated to polymers and specialty materials. Emphasis includes developing novel polymer architectures with self-healing properties and functionalizing nanomaterials for enhanced material properties. The position applies polymer chemistry expertise alongside AI/ML techniques.

Opportunities involve advancing data-driven materials research, predicting performance, and optimizing synthetic pathways using AI/ML models. A background in polymer synthesis, nanomaterial functionalization, and machine learning is preferred. Willingness to learn programming languages such as Python supports ongoing innovation in resilient materials.