Position SummaryThe HTL Materials Synthetic Chemist will report to the Vice President of Quality and drive technical advancement and continuous improvement of our HTL and its successful integration into devices. This role combines hands-on work in the R&D laboratory with cross-functional collaboration (R&D, manufacturing, and external collaborators) to ensure that HTL advances rapidly develop into viable, scalable materials for pilot production and manufacturing. As a chemistry and materials SME, the successful candidate will be expected to rationally design, synthesize, purify and characterize modern HTL materials from milligram to multi gram scale, and for successful materials, lead and collaborate in developing materials specifications, qualification testing of materials, and excursion management.
The ideal candidate has an experience set that includes:
- Retrosynthetic analysis and planning safe multistep synthesis,
- Isolation and purification of small and large molecules (HPLC, LC, TLC, recrystallization, distillation, etc.)
- Chemical analysis including but not limited to HPLC, NMR, CV, UV/Vis/IR spectroscopy, MS
- Negotiating agreements, developing technology with and/or transferring technology to (or from) collaborators including start-ups, medium and large size firms as well as academic groups.
- The synthesis, purification, and analysis of hybrid perovskite thin film photovoltaics-related materials and the integration of those materials into photovoltaic devices.
- Developing patent applications and strategy
- Developing quality systems
- Educational requirements include a PhD in chemistry, materials science or closely related field and 2 years of practical, interdisciplinary experience. Note that an MS with solid experience and a competitive track record will be considered
Key Responsibilities- End-to-end synthesis and characterization of HTL materials from milligram to multigram scale including purification.
- Create, perform and document materials qualification SOPs.
- Advance the development and tracking of key quality metrics (e.g., yield, reliability indicators, defect rates) for advanced materials and drive corrective and preventive actions related to them.
- Help Identify, evaluate, and select suppliers, vendors and other external partners including due diligence, joint development planning, and quality-related risk assessments for selection and scale-up.
- Support the negotiation of technical statements of work, quality specifications, and acceptance criteria for materials and equipment.
- Collaborate with partner organizations to create, develop, and qualify materials and equipment, resolve quality issues, and improve performance and reliability of them
- Analyze process, characterization, and reliability data to drive root-cause investigations and implement robust corrective actions.
- Establish control strategies and monitoring plans to drive continuous improvement cycles
- Work closely with R&D, process engineering, reliability, and operations teams to embed quality principles into technology roadmaps and development milestones.
Minimum Qualifications- PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science, or a closely related field. An MS with solid experience and competitive track record will be considered
- Minimum of 2 years of practical, interdisciplinary experience which may include postdoctoral appointments and fellowships
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document methods and present technical results clearly.
- Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.
Preferred Qualifications and Experience- Selecting, negotiating agreements with, and/or developing technology in collaboration with external firms (e.g., start-ups, medium, and large companies)
- Applying structured process-improvement methodologies to advanced or emerging technologies
- Synthesis, processing, and characterization of hybrid perovskite thin-film photovoltaic materials, the integration of those materials into photovoltaic devices and the characterization and testing of such devices
