Lead R&D Engineer-Ballistic Composites

Solstice Advanced Materials • Colonial Heights, VA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Lead R&D Engineer here at Solstice Advanced Materials, you will work with Marketing, Sales, and Technology organizations to lead the new product pipeline and drive adoption of Spectra Shield ballistic materials, with a focus on soft body armor, providing hands on oversight, development, and optimization of customer facing ballistic solutions. You will work out of our Colonial Heights, VA facility and report to the General Manager on a hybrid schedule.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Polymers/Composite Materials, Materials Science or other related scientific or technical discipline
• 10+ years of experience with soft body armor materials, processing, ballistic and non-ballistic testing
• Due to compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations, candidate must be a U.S. person, which is defined as, a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or have protected status in the U.S. under asylum or refugee status.

Nice To Haves

• Master's Degree in Engineering
• Knowledge and experience with ballistic composite materials, process manufacturing, ballistic threat standards (NIJ / Military), and testing of soft and hard armor applications
• Experience in data management including collection, interpretation, graphical and statistical analysis to interpret experimental results and develop presentations to communicate these findings
• Experience with MS Office Applications including Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Minitab statistical analysis software
• Ability to manage multiple programs of varying degrees of complexity
• Knowledge of hard armor materials, processing, and testing

Responsibilities

• Optimize composite material processing guidelines for soft armor applications
• Hands-on system design, lay-up, and equipment operation required for part fabrication
• Coordinate prototype development which includes but is not limited to: sample and test matrix definition, work order drafting, laboratory scheduling, prioritization, execution, testing and communication of results
• Collaborate with armor manufacturers, military R&D organizations, and Program Offices to establish comprehensive understanding of current and future body armor program specifications
• Define the fundamental composite material property linkages to end article performance and provide the functional product attribute characterization protocols and targets necessary to achieve ballistic and non-ballistic system level requirements
• Identify and assess emerging materials, manufacturing processes, and characterization techniques for technology roadmap considerations
• Represent Solstice Technology organization in customer meetings, global trade shows, and technical conferences
• Provide technical oversight and support for customer quality resolution, manufacturing initiatives, and new product development
• Draft scientific publications, white papers, solicitation responses, invention disclosures, and intellectual property materials as needed

Benefits

• employer-subsidized Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• 401(k) match
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• EAP
• Educational Assistance
• Parental Leave
• Paid Time Off (for vacation, personal business, sick time, and parental leave)
• 12 Paid Holidays

What This Job Offers

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