Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

Analytical Chemist

Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
  • 5+ years of advanced experience with GC, LC, and MS techniques, including method development.
  • Experience with maintenance of analytical instrumentation.
  • Comfortable in a laboratory environment and follows good laboratory practices.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical information.
  • Willingness to support occasional travel for field work or collaborations.
  • Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance (U.S. citizenship required).

Responsibilities

  • Perform hands-on laboratory testing using GC, LC, and MS techniques.
  • Develop and optimize analytical methods for various sample characterizations.
  • Analyze results and communicate findings in technical reports.
  • Maintain and troubleshoot laboratory instrumentation for consistent data collection.
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across different projects.
  • Support proposal efforts and contribute to analytical chemistry research growth.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on projects impacting national security and environmental resilience.
  • Access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and instrumentation.
  • Collaborative work environment with experts from various fields.
  • Engagement in hands-on experimental chemistry and innovative research.
  • Potential for professional growth through contributions to research proposals and publications.
Full Job Description
Description

Are you excited by the idea of solving real-world problems through hands-on experimental chemistry?

Are you passionate about contributing to projects that span chemistry and engineering, applied to national missions?

If you have a background in analytical chemistry, chemical engineering, chemistry, or a related field and you thrive in a research laboratory setting, then we want you to join our chemistry group at APL!

We are seeking an Analytical Chemist to support and lead experimental investigations that span chemical characterization, formulation testing, environmental sampling, and novel analytical methods. You'll use state-of-the-art instrumentation and experimental techniques to generate the critical data needed to evaluate and transition chemical technologies and novel materials.

Our group supports a wide range of projects, from adhesive formulations and surface coatings to energetics, environmental assessments, and materials degradation. We pride ourselves on close collaboration, technical rigor, and direct impact on national security and environmental resilience challenges.

As an analytical chemist on our team, you will...
  • Perform hands-on laboratory testing and characterization using analytical techniques such as gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC), and mass spectrometry (MS), as well as other spectroscopic and thermal analysis methods.
  • Develop and optimize non-traditional analytical methods for sample characterization across a wide range of applications
  • Analyze and interpret results, clearly communicate findings in technical reports and briefings.
  • Maintain and troubleshoot laboratory instrumentation and ensure accurate data collection.
  • Collaborate with chemists, materials scientists, and engineers across multidisciplinary projects.
  • Support proposal efforts and contribute to the growth of analytical chemistry research efforts.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
  • Have a B.S. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
  • Have 5+ years of advanced experience with GC, LC, and MS techniques, including method development..
  • Have experience with the maintenance of analytical instrumentation.
  • Are comfortable in a laboratory environment and follow good laboratory practices.
  • Communicate technical information clearly, both in writing and verbally.
  • Are willing to support occasional travel for field work, sponsor meetings, or technical collaborations.
  • Are able to obtain a Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...
  • Have an M.S. in Chemistry, Chemical engineering, or related field.
  • Are familiar with additional analytical instrumentation such as FTIR, UV-Vis, thermal analysis (DSC, TGA), or microscopy tools.
  • Have contributed to technical publications, reports, or briefings.
  • Have experience with proposal writing.
  • Have worked on applied research programs with sponsors or interdisciplinary teams.

Minimum Rate

$85,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$195,000 Annually

About Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a research and development organization that provides solutions to national security and scientific challenges. The laboratory was founded in 1942 and is located in Laurel, Maryland. APL is a division of the Johns Hopkins University and is a not-for-profit organization. The laboratory has expertise in a variety of areas, including space exploration, national security, and healthcare.
Learn more about Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
Size
7,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1942

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