Director of Materials Science (Hybrid)

Purple•Draper, UT

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Materials Science is a hands-on technical leader within Purple’s Materials Science Team in the Innovations Department. The role advances Purple’s comfort technology, particularly its Hyper-Elastic Polymer and GelFlex® Grid, and contributes to the company’s innovation pipeline. The director leads day-to-day laboratory work and represents Materials Science to senior leadership and, when required, the Board of Directors, translating laboratory results into clear business recommendations. The director leads and develops a small team of Materials Scientists and Technicians, shapes the multi-year materials science roadmap, and manages multiple projects aligned with company product, cost, and growth goals. The position involves hands-on research and testing, laboratory safety and documentation oversight, transferring new formulations into production, cross-functional technical leadership, and protecting materials intellectual property. It is based at Purple’s headquarters in Draper, Utah; remote work is permitted as business and laboratory needs allow. Occasional off-site travel to corporate and vendor sites is expected at less than 10%, along with occasional travel to technical conferences.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or another relevant scientific area.
8–10 years of experience in relevant fields.
At least 3 years of people leadership experience with scientists and/or technicians, including hiring, performance management, mentorship, and professional development.
Extensive knowledge of polymer structure, physical chemistry, and polymer characterization techniques.
Strong technical writing and presentation skills for communicating advanced scientific concepts to varied audiences.
Executive-level communication skills and ability to translate complex technical findings into clear business recommendations for senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and non-technical stakeholders.
Proficiency with design of experiments and statistical analysis software such as Minitab or equivalent.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Ability to work with mixing equipment and a respirator for raw-material addition.
Ability to work in a laboratory environment with chemical exposure and use personal protective equipment.

Nice To Haves

PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or another relevant scientific area, or a master’s degree with 10 or more years of relevant experience.
Experience with oil-extended elastomer gels and rheological testing.
Track record of developing novel, patentable solutions to technical problems.
Significant exposure to a Stage Gate process for implementation of new materials into production.
Extensive knowledge of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), melt flow processing (MFI), rheology (ODR/ESR), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and benchtop injection molding.
Experience establishing or overseeing laboratory safety and chemical hygiene programs.
Experience building or scaling a technical team.

Responsibilities

Lead, hire, and develop a small team of Materials Scientists and Technicians through project planning and execution, mentorship, performance management, and career development.
Scale the team as the function grows by defining roles, structure, and career paths.
Contribute to and help shape the multi-year materials science roadmap in alignment with Innovations and company product, cost, and growth goals.
Manage multiple projects and prioritize work according to team, department, and company goals.
Lead hands-on laboratory investigations into modifications and improvements of Hyper-Elastic Polymer Gels for products and processes, including literature research, DOE-based blending and formulation plans, and mechanical and physical testing.
Own the Chemical Hygiene and Laboratory Safety programs and laboratory notebook and report structure; establish standards for experimental design, analytical methods, documentation, and data integrity.
Lead transfer of new formulations from the laboratory to full-scale production, partnering with Manufacturing on scale-up, process validation, and yield improvement.
Serve as the subject matter expert on HEP and polymer materials and liaise with Production, Quality, Engineering, Product Development, Supply Chain, and Marketing.
Publish internal reports and present findings to senior leadership and, when required, the Board of Directors.
Build and protect Purple’s materials intellectual property with Legal, including invention disclosures and patent filings.
Manage external partnerships with suppliers, universities, and contract laboratories.
Travel occasionally to corporate and vendor sites (less than 10%) and to technical conferences.