Director of Materials Science (Hybrid)

Purple • Draper, UT

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Materials Science is a hands-on technical leader on Purple’s Materials Science Team within the Innovations Department. The role leads laboratory work and supports technological improvement of Purple’s comfort technology, especially its Hyper-Elastic Polymer and GelFlex® Grid. The Director contributes to the innovation pipeline and represents Materials Science to senior leadership and, when needed, the Board of Directors, translating laboratory results into business recommendations.

This position leads and develops a small team of Materials Scientists and Technicians, helps shape the multi-year materials science roadmap, and manages multiple projects according to company priorities. It leads investigations into polymer gel and process improvements, maintains laboratory safety and documentation standards, and transfers new formulations from laboratory development to full-scale production in partnership with Manufacturing. The Director also serves as an internal subject matter expert and liaison, develops materials intellectual property with Legal, and manages external partnerships with suppliers, universities, and contract laboratories.

The role is based onsite at Purple’s headquarters in Draper, Utah, with remote work permitted as business and laboratory needs allow. Occasional travel to corporate and vendor sites is expected (<10%), along with occasional travel to technical conferences. Laboratory work may involve noisy instrumentation, chemical exposure, and required use of personal protective equipment.

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 of 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 materials addition.
• Ability to adjust or move objects up to 15 pounds in all directions.

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+ years of experience in relevant fields.
• 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 implementing 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 Materials Scientists and Technicians, including project planning, 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 Chemical Hygiene and Laboratory Safety programs and the laboratory notebook and report structure; establish rigorous standards for experimental design, analytical methods, documentation, and data integrity.
• Lead transfer of new formulations from 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 materials intellectual property with Legal, including invention disclosures and patent filings.
• Manage external partnerships with suppliers, universities, and contract labs.
• Travel occasionally to corporate and vendor sites (<10%) and occasionally to technical conferences.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 401(k) match.
• Flexible PTO.
• Earn a Mattress.
• Purple swag.
• Purple products.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director