Polymer Scientist - Electrospinning & Advanced Materials Applications

Posted today

iris scientificPhoenix (AZ)

Materials Scientists Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

SENIORITY

Senior

SALARY

$90,000 - $110,000 per year

Apply

About the role

Polymer Scientist – Electrospinning & Advanced Materials Applications

Location: Phoenix, AZ – Onsite laboratory role; ~20–30% North American travel

Compensation: $90,000 – $110,000 base salary + performance bonus

Relocation: Relocation support available

Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, Life Insurance Iris Scientific is a specialty recruitment agency focused exclusively on technical and commercial roles within the North American scientific instrumentation and advanced materials market. We're partnering with a Phoenix-based advanced materials and contract analytical laboratory to hire a PhD-level Polymer Scientist with deep, hands-on electrospinning expertise. The lab develops electrospun and electrosprayed polymer systems for medical device and regulated-materials applications — drug delivery, wound care, device coatings, fibrous scaffolds, membranes — for clients ranging from the world's largest medical device companies to early-stage startups. What This Role IsYou will be the lab's internal subject-matter expert on electrospinning and electrospraying, leading client-facing contract development projects from scope definition through final reporting. It's a hands-on bench role with real commercial visibility — applied science, not academic research, and not a translational, regulatory, or product-management track. A small, tight-knit team (7 people) means high autonomy, fast-moving priorities, and a genuine mix of laboratory execution and direct customer engagement.

Core Responsibilities:

Contract research & project leadership
Lead electrospinning/electrospraying projects for industrial and research clients
Define project scope with customers and design structured, factorial experimental plans
Conduct hands-on experimentation, process development, and troubleshooting across diverse polymer systems
Develop and document SOPs; maintain quality-system and documentation discipline
Communicate outcomes through clear written and oral technical reports
Mentor junior team members in experimental design and best practices
Applications & technical support
Support advanced electrospinning instrumentation; run demos, installations, and user training
Provide pre- and post-sales technical support, proof-of-concept testing, and remote/onsite troubleshooting
Represent the lab at workshops, trade shows, and technical roadshows across North America

Qualifications:

RequiredPhD in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a closely related discipline (this is a polymer/materials-science role rather than a chemical-engineering one)
Deep, independent, hands-on electrospinning and/or electrospraying experience — you have personally developed, built, or substantially owned and troubleshooted the process, not only operated an established group system
Demonstrated breadth across multiple polymer systems — not a single-polymer specialist
Strong experimental-design discipline (structured/factorial, not purely exploratory)
Proven ability to manage technical projects independently and meet client timelines
Excellent written and verbal technical communication
Willingness to travel ~20–30%Attributes that matter here

Strong interpersonal skills and team fit — this is a collaborative, customer-facing, rules-driven environment; the team works closely together and to client specifications. This is weighted as heavily as technical skill. Ownership and accountability — comfortable being questioned on your work, and able to say "I don't know" without defensiveness Genuine curiosity across a wide range of materials and applications Comfort working in environmentally sensitive electrospinning systems (humidity, solvent, charge effects) Process-oriented, quality-minded, and organized in documentation Recent PhDs with strong electrospinning depth are encouraged to apply. Industry, internship, or PI-collaboration-with-industry experience is an advantage but not required. Team & Environment7-person analytical team; individual contributor with technical-leadership influence High-autonomy, startup-paced environment within an established 20-year company

Other Requirements: Onsite in Phoenix, AZ — must be located there or willing to relocateUS work authorization is required; visa sponsorship is not available

Before you apply

Applying takes about a minute. These four things decide how fast it moves after that.

Your profile is current

It's what we read first. Occupations, seniority and locations matter more than a long history.

Two examples you can talk through

Not a portfolio — just two pieces of work where you can explain the decisions and what you'd change.

A number in mind

What you're on now and what would make you move. We negotiate better when we know both.

Your notice period

Employers plan around it, and it's the question that stalls offers most often.

Once you apply, someone reads it and calls you before anything reaches the employer — usually within two working days.