Soft Materials Engineer

HaloBraid•Cambridge, MA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

HaloBraid is a hair technology company using breakthrough engineering to help people perform routines faster. We’re building the world’s first robotic hair-braiding system: integrating computer vision, robotics, compliant fiber manipulation, and novel mechatronic machines. This is one of the hardest unsolved problems in robotics, applied to a $300B industry. 8 billion hours are spent braiding hair each year. HaloBraid exists to give that time back. The system works with professional stylists to reduce braiding appointments from hours to minutes and grow their business. Our technology works. We’re moving from R&D into deployment with salons, well-funded by leading investors. We’re looking for a Soft Materials Engineer to own how our system physically interacts with hair. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of the hair styling industry.

Requirements

PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Textile Engineering, Polymer Science, Soft Robotics, or related field
Experience working with fibers, textiles, polymers, thin-rod structures, soft materials, or deformable materials
Strong understanding of material characterization and mechanical behavior
Significant, demonstrated hands-on experience with original experimental design and testing

Nice To Haves

Experience with robotic manipulation of soft or flexible materials
Background in soft robotics, or soft materials
Familiarity with biological fibers (e.g., hair, keratin-based materials)
Experience with modeling, simulation, or animation tools

Responsibilities

Research and characterize mechanical and physical properties of hair (natural and synthetic)
Develop solutions for gripping, guiding, detangling, and controlling flexible fibers
Design and evaluate materials, coatings, and surface interactions for optimal performance and durability
Define safe operating thresholds (tension, force, heat) to prevent breakage and discomfort
Build and run experiments and test systems to validate material performance
Collaborate with mechanical, robotics, and software engineers to integrate into product systems
Translate research into scalable, production-ready solutions