Senior- Scaled Inorganic Particle Synthesis Scientist

AeroVironment•Bath Township, OH

12d•$112,500 - $171,750•Onsite

About The Position

AeroVironment is seeking a Scaled Inorganic Particle Synthesis Scientist to drive advanced materials development for high-performance defense systems. In this role, you will lead the bridge between benchtop chemical discovery and batch/continuous scale-up of novel inorganic powders, ceramic precursors, and high-temperature functional nanoparticles. As a Senior scientist, you will act as a key subject matter expert (SME), operating with high autonomy while providing technical mentorship to lower-tier scientists and engineers. You will lead cross-functional projects, manage lab-to-pilot scale-up workflows, and collaborate closely with government research partners (e.g., Air Force Research Laboratory - AFRL) and internal flight/warhead structural teams.

Requirements

Proven track record in the synthetic scale-up of inorganic systems (e.g., borides, carbides, nitrides, oxides, or inorganic polymers).
Hands-on experience with reactor design, reaction kinetics, particle nucleation/growth control, and powder processing (e.g., milling, spray drying, calcination).
Strong expertise in air-free synthesis techniques (Schlenk lines, gloveboxes) and characterization tools (SEM, XRD, TGA).
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, or a related field with 3–5+ years of industry/postdoctoral experience; OR an M.S. degree with 6–8+ years of relevant scaled-synthesis experience.
U.S. Citizenship: Required due to work within government facilities and access to export-controlled data.

Nice To Haves

Experience collaborating with government labs (e.g., AFRL, NRL, ORNL) on DoD or DARPA advanced materials programs.
Direct experience with preceramic polymers or high-temperature structural ceramics for aerospace/defense applications.
Knowledge of Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology and statistical process control (SPC) for chemical production routines.
Active Secret or Top-Secret U.S. Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

Lead technical execution for the synthesis, purification, and pilot-scale batch production of advanced inorganic powders, non-oxide ceramics, and high-temperature precursors.
Develop scalable wet-chemical, sol-gel, vapor-phase, or solid-state synthetic routes to transition novel formulations from gram-scale research to multi-kilogram production.
Serve as the technical lead on advanced material research tasks, translating high-level program requirements into concrete chemical synthesis matrix plans.
Establish quality control, stoichiometry, morphologic, and particle-size distribution parameters using automated instrumentation and process analytical technology (PAT).
Oversee advanced material characterization techniques including XRD, SEM/EDS, TGA/DSC, BET surface area analysis, laser diffraction particle sizing, and rheometry.
Establish inert-atmosphere chemistry protocols (Schlenk line, glovebox operations) for air/moisture-sensitive inorganic and organometallic precursors.
Work closely with composite, structural, and payload engineering teams to integrate synthesized powders into downstream manufacturing processes (e.g., sintering, additive manufacturing, slurry coatings).
Guide, mentor, and review the work products of junior scientists, engineers, and lab technicians.
Manage project deliverables, technical risk registers, schedule milestones, and research budgets for internal research and development (IRAD) or contracted customer programs.
Prepare and present technical progress reports and design reviews to executive leadership, DoD stakeholders, and external technical partners.