Polymer Mechanics & Characterization Specialist

3M•Maplewood, MN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career. The Impact You’ll Make in this Role As a Polymer Mechanics & Characterization Specialist within 3M's Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division , you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. You will serve as a technical expert in the generation of high-quality experimental data and development of calibrated material models that enable predictive simulation of adhesives, tapes, and adhesive joints. The data and material models developed in this role will become foundational assets within 3M's Digital Materials Hub, where they are leveraged across product development, manufacturing, and customer-facing simulation activities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Polymer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related science field (completed and verified prior to start)
Three (3) years of hands-on experience in polymer characterization, experimental mechanics, materials testing, or related laboratory-based work in an academic, private, public, government, or military environment
Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start) in Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Quality Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline from an accredited institution.
Experience with reliability modeling, accelerated life testing, Weibull analysis, reliability growth analysis, and life-data modeling.
Experience leading FMEA, fault-tree analysis, risk assessments, and Design for Reliability initiatives.
Experience developing qualification programs for electromechanical, automation, robotics, industrial equipment, or power-system products.
Experience with statistical software and methodologies including Minitab, JMP, DOE, SPC, and process capability analysis.
Experience with regulatory, product safety, UL, CE, IEC, or similar compliance standards.
Experience with supplier quality, manufacturing quality systems, and production qualification activities.
Demonstrated experience operating and interpreting data from mechanical, rheological, and/or thermal characterization instrumentation
Experience processing and analyzing experimental datasets using scientific computing and data analysis tools

Responsibilities

Performing hands-on mechanical, rheological, thermal, and multi-axial characterization of adhesives, pressure-sensitive tapes, structural polymers, composites, and adhesive joints to generate high-quality experimental datasets for finite element analysis (FEA) material model development
Operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving laboratory instrumentation including rheometers, dynamic mechanical analyzers (DMA), thermal analysis equipment (DSC, TMA, TGA), and universal test machines (load frames) with digital image correlation (DIC) systems
Designing, developing, validating, and documenting experimental test methods that provide reliable, repeatable data for constitutive model calibration and simulation workflows
Developing calibrated material models from experimental data and supporting their deployment within 3M's Digital Materials Hub for enterprise-wide reuse and adoption
Applying polymer mechanics principles to characterize linear and nonlinear material behavior including viscoelasticity, hyperelasticity, damage, failure, and time-dependent responses
Processing, analyzing, and visualizing large experimental datasets using Python, MATLAB, and other digital tools to fit model parameters, assess data quality, and communicate results effectively
Collaborating closely with product developers, simulation experts, materials scientists, and customers to ensure characterization strategies align with application requirements and simulation objectives
Training and supporting other researchers and engineers on instrumentation operation, experimental best practices, and characterization workflows
Continuously evaluating and implementing emerging characterization methods and technologies, including advanced rheological techniques, full-field deformation measurement methods, and next-generation experimental mechanics approaches
Communicating technical findings and recommendations clearly to multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders
Balancing laboratory, analysis, and collaboration activities across multiple concurrent programs supporting diverse businesses and applications
Operating with a high degree of technical independence while maintaining rigorous safety, quality, and documentation standards in a fast-paced R&D environment
Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.
Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.