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
Contact: Andrew Millar | andrew.millar@irisscientific.com | 647-205-7151
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 Is
You 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
Required
- PhD 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 & Environment
- 7-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 relocate
- US work authorization is required; visa sponsorship is not available