R&D Project Engineer

SprintRay•Huntington Beach, CA

4d•$80,000 - $95,000•Onsite

About The Position

The R&D Project Engineer combines program leadership with hands-on laboratory work. Approximately 50% of the role involves planning and driving cross-functional materials programs from concept through commercialization, while approximately 50% involves bench-level R&D supporting those programs, including formulation, sample preparation, testing, and data analysis. The role partners with R&D, Regulatory, Clinical, Quality, Product Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain to align program objectives with business goals. It requires program and risk management capabilities, a technical foundation in materials, and the ability to move between project planning and laboratory work. The position manages concurrent materials programs across the product and resin life cycle, from concept and development through design transfer and commercial launch. It maintains schedules, deliverables, dashboards, budgets, risk plans, and leadership status reports; coordinates cross-functional teams and external partners; and supports project-management process improvement. Laboratory work includes resin formulation and mixing, sample preparation, 3D printing and post-processing of specimens, material characterization, performance testing, experimental design, and analysis. The engineer also supports verification, stability, scale-up, and manufacturing technology transfer; evaluates incoming raw materials and investigates discrepancies; and maintains laboratory records and safety practices in accordance with Good Documentation Practices and ISO 13485. The role additionally uses statistical analysis to investigate delays and material discrepancies, forecasts material needs and supply risks, works with overseas manufacturers to track delivery and inventory indicators, and develops project budgets, ROI and variance analyses, and business cases for leadership. The position must be performed onsite in Huntington Beach.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical, Polymer, or Biomedical Engineering, or a related technical field, with at least 4 years of relevant experience; alternatively, a Master’s degree with at least 2 years of relevant experience.
Hands-on laboratory experience in polymer, resin, or materials formulation, testing, and characterization.
Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional projects, including schedules, risks, and budgets.
Ability to balance project-management responsibilities with bench work and prioritize effectively across both.
Ability to work onsite in Huntington Beach.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, Project, and PowerPoint.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
Self-motivation, adaptability, accountability, and ownership.

Nice To Haves

Advanced Excel skills.
Experience with photopolymer resins or 3D-printing materials, ideally in the dental or medical-device industry.
Familiarity with design controls, ISO 13485, and Good Documentation Practices.
Experience with DOE and statistical software such as Minitab or JMP.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and familiarity with Agile methodologies such as Jira or Scrum.
Lean or Six Sigma certification.
Experience in materials or supply-chain management in the dental, healthcare, or medical-device industries.
International experience or Mandarin language skills.

Responsibilities

Plan and drive multiple concurrent materials programs from concept and development through design transfer and commercial launch.
Build and maintain project schedules, deliverables, and dashboards; monitor timelines, risks, and budgets; and provide weekly status reports to leadership.
Coordinate cross-functional work across R&D, Regulatory, Clinical, Quality, Product Management, Marketing, and Supply Chain; define responsibilities and facilitate meetings, using Agile frameworks where appropriate.
Conduct project risk assessments and lead mitigation planning and implementation.
Prepare program communications for leadership, project teams, suppliers, and overseas manufacturers.
Improve project-management processes and coach team members in their adoption.
Perform resin formulation and mixing, sample preparation, and 3D printing and post-processing of test specimens.
Conduct material characterization and performance testing, including mechanical properties, viscosity, cure depth, degree of conversion, color, and translucency, using internal methods and applicable standards.
Design and run experiments, including DOE; analyze results; and prepare technical summaries and reports to inform project decisions.
Support design verification, stability and shelf-life studies, scale-up, and technology transfer to manufacturing.
Evaluate incoming raw materials and investigate material or lot discrepancies with suppliers to identify root causes and corrective actions.
Maintain laboratory notebooks, protocols, and reports in accordance with Good Documentation Practices and the ISO 13485 quality management system.
Follow laboratory safety and chemical hygiene practices and help maintain laboratory equipment, consumables, and material inventory.
Use statistical tools to investigate project delays and material discrepancies, including supplier, logistics, and production issues.
Forecast material needs and supply-chain risks and work with overseas manufacturers to track on-time delivery and inventory levels.
Develop and track project budgets and perform ROI and variance analyses.
Translate technical and project data into business cases for senior leadership, including proposals involving suppliers, technology investments, and process improvements.