Polymer R&D Engineer

About This Role

Join a multidisciplinary team to research, define, and communicate engineering approaches for materials, environmental effects, and engineering projects, focusing on polymer, composite, and metallic systems for Navy applications.

Responsibilities

• Develop test data for setting requirements and predicting field performance of multi-layer multi-material Navy designs, focusing on mechanical, structural, and environmental degradation effects of polymer, composite, and metallic systems.
• Research, define, and communicate engineering approaches to meet design gaps for plastics, composites, elastomers, sealants, and adhesives in seawater environments.
• Perform mechanical testing for material property understanding and produce experimental data for ongoing research.
• Develop material qualification specifications.
• Use modeling, experimental, and analytical data to inform theory-based investigations.
• Communicate and interface with cross-functional groups, research leads, program management, technical engineering, and key stakeholders.
• Demonstrate failure mode analysis, root cause investigation, and problem-solving for product quality issues.

Requirements

• 3 years' experience in materials research, environmental effects, and engineering projects
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) modeling
• Experience with MATLAB for data acquisition, analysis and presentation
• Sound knowledge and understanding of physical and mechanical properties and behavior of structural polymers, composites, and adhesives
• Understanding of polymer formulations for material screening
• Proven understanding of adhesion science concepts, including adhesive bonding, surface chemistry, and viscoelasticity
• Understanding of polymer/composite degradation and/or accelerated life testing
• Ability to perform mechanical testing for material property understanding
• Ability to develop material qualification specifications
• Ability to use modeling, experimental, and analytical data to inform theory-based investigations
• Ability to communicate and interface with cross-functional groups, research leads, program management, technical engineering and key stakeholders
• Demonstrated failure mode analysis, root cause investigation, and problem solving

Qualifications

• Undergraduate, Masters degree or Ph.D. in polymer/plastics engineering, materials science/engineering, mechanical engineering, or chemistry.
• 3 years' experience in materials research, environmental effects, and engineering projects.

Nice to Have

• Master’s or Ph.D. in related fields
• Experience with polymers/non-metallics in severe exposure environments or naval applications
• Experience with structural modeling of polymers in COMSOL Multiphysics
• Excellent data handling, documentation, critical milestone creation, and organization skill (Project Management)
• Experience with automating data acquisition and analysis in MATLAB
• Former active-duty Navy or other military service
• Problem-solver willing to learn new skills

Skills

* Required skills

Benefits