Research Chemist - Autonomous Discovery of Organic Materials

BlueHalo, an AV Company, has an opportunity available for Research Chemist that will be an integral member of the Polymers and Responsive Materials Team. The primary responsibilities include designing, synthesizing, and characterizing novel functional organic polymers and materials using advanced digital chemistry approaches. This will involve parallelized or high-throughput experimentation, automated materials science, and data-driven optimization, utilizing both conventional synthetic methods and machine learning-driven approaches. Specific emphasis will be placed on flow chemistry and robotic platforms. Experience integrating open-source hardware with advanced characterization techniques is essential, including automated spectroscopic methods (e.g., FTIR, UV-Vis, NMR), chromatographic techniques (e.g., GPC, HPLC), and mechanical property analysis (e.g., tensile testing, rheology).

Emphasis areas include developing novel synthesis/test strategies for functional organic polymers and materials, implementing high-throughput characterization techniques, and applying AI/ML and optimization algorithms to predict performance and optimize synthetic pathways. A background in organic polymer synthesis, materials characterization, and data-driven materials research is preferred. Familiarity with AI/ML models, optimization algorithms, and a willingness to learn programming languages such as Python is also desirable.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Building experimental hardware using open-source software and projects.
• Characterizing polymer and nanomaterial properties through techniques such as GPC, NMR, DMA, tensile testing, FTIR, and AFM.
• Incorporating AI/ML models to optimize material synthesis and performance prediction.
• Applying a deep understanding of polymer chemistry, nanomaterials, and machine learning to advance the development of innovative, resilient materials.

Qualifications:

• This position will involve working within a government facility and requires U.S. Citizenship.
• M.S. or PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field of study required.
• Experience level: 0-2 years after graduation
• Python programming (entry level+)
• Advanced data visualization techniques
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to learn and develop new approaches and techniques