Senior Scientist, Surface Chemistry

Ultima Genomics•Fremont, CA

1d•$120,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

Ultima Genomics is a rapidly growing company that is developing ground-breaking genomics technologies. Our mission is to continuously drive the scale of genomic information to enable unprecedented advances in biology and improvements in human health. We have developed a foundational new approach to sequencing at scale that overcomes limitations due to the high costs of current technologies. We are well-funded and have raised approximately $600 million from global top-tier investors. Our team brings together unique and diverse expertise across multiple disciplines, from healthcare and life sciences, to engineering, to technology and software and beyond. We are a collaborative group, including successful entrepreneurs, chemists, hardware and software engineers, genomics and biotechnology experts, molecular and computational biologists, software and algorithm experts, and operations and commercial leaders. Join us to develop and commercialize technologies that unleash the power of genomics at scale and empower the future of human health. We are looking for a highly motivated Senior Scientist, Surface Chemistry to join our team! As a Senior Scientist, Surface Chemistry, you will lead R&D and process development for surface-modified substrates. You will design surface chemistries, build metrology-to-performance correlations, and deliver robust, scalable processes with clear standard operating procedures (SOPs). This is a full-time onsite position at our Fremont, CA location.

Requirements

Degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, physics, or related field
BS with 8+ years, MS with 5+ years or PhD with 3+ years of related industry experience. PhD is preferred
Hands on experience supporting a commercial product where surface chemistry is a key component
Strong surface chemistry and surface characterization skills with ability to correlate measurements to function
Hands-on metrology experience, including AFM, Ellipsometry, XPS, FTIR, SEM, fluorescence microscopy; additional techniques are a plus
Proven SOP authoring and release and documentation discipline in a product development environment
Demonstrated project leadership in framing, planning/DOE, execution, analysis, and excellent communication skills
Experience with vapor-phase and CVD-style deposition of organosilanes, thiols, or related surface chemistries, biomaterials coatings and/or bioconjugation chemistry
Familiarity with microfabrication context such as PVD/CVD/PECVD/ALD, lithography, etch, wet bench/cleaning
Data and image analysis (Python, FIJI, JMP, Matlab/Octave, R)
Experience using Statistical Process Control (SPC) to monitor process stability and variation

Responsibilities

Develop and scale surface functionalization processes; link chemistry and process settings to assay and product performance
Design and optimize surface chemistries, including organosilanes, thiols/SAMs, linkers, passivation and blocking strategies, and biomolecule immobilization
Run Design of Experiments (DOE) driven optimization and define robust operating windows and control plans
Build Quality Control (QC) workflows, including metrology panels, acceptance criteria, and correlation models between metrology and functional performance
Own troubleshooting and failure analysis; drive corrective actions via process controls and SOP updates
Drive innovation by prototyping next-gen coatings and chemistries, assessing feasibility and risk, and recommending paths forward
Partner cross-functionally with chemistry, biology and engineering teams and mentor technicians and junior staff
Other job duties as assigned