Rheology Scientist

Aether Biomachines • South San Francisco, CA

27d

About The Position

You will lead the design, execution, and analysis of rheological experiments to
build a practical, decision-oriented understanding of how our polymer materials
behave in real processing environments. This is not academic exploration, this
role is focused on answering how and why our materials perform the way they do,
and using that understanding to guide formulation, processing, and product
decisions.

This role sits within a collaborative materials development team and reports to
our Associate Director of Product Development. While highly autonomous in
day-to-day work, you will partner closely with chemists, process engineers,  and
materials scientists to connect formulation, processing, and performance.

Success in this role means not just generating high-quality data, but using it
to define process windows, guide formulation decisions, and ensure our materials
perform reliably in real-world applications.

Requirements

• MS or PhD in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field
• Meaningful experience with thermomechanical analysis methods, e.g. DMA, DSC, TGA, TMA
• Hands-on experience with rheological characterization of polymeric materials (e.g., melts, resins, gels, or similar systems)
• Experience designing experiments and interpreting results in a processing or application context
• Strong foundation in rheology applied to polymer or soft material systems
• Hands-on experimentalist who can design as well as execute studies
• Comfortable operating with autonomy and bringing structure to ambiguous problems
• Product-oriented thinker who connects material behavior to real-world performance
• Clear and concise communicator who can translate complex data into actionable insights
• Pragmatic and outcome driven. You prioritize solving the right problems over exploring everything

Nice To Haves

• Industry experience in additive manufacturing, polymers, coatings, or advanced materials
• Experience working with or supporting filament-based AM processes
• Experience working with singly or twin screw extrusion based processes
• Experience developing or adapting rheological methods for new materials or equipment

Responsibilities

• Design and execute rheological experiments to characterize polymer systems under a variety of extrusion based methods.
• Apply standard rheological techniques while developing and adapting methods for new materials and equipment
• Establish processing > structure >property relationships that inform product performance
• Define operating windows and process boundaries to ensure materials meet target specifications
• Partner with chemists to answer key formulation questions (e.g., catalyst loading, mixing behavior, residence time effects)
• Build structured, reproducible experimental workflows with a strong emphasis on rigor and data quality
• Synthesize and communicate results clearly to enable fast, confident decision-making across the team

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees