Research Scientist Jobs

AV is seeking an entry-level Research Scientist to join our multidisciplinary team at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The Polymers and Responsive Materials Team is seeking a highly versatile and computationally-fluent scientist to work at the intersection of Physical Organic Chemistry and Materials Physics. This role is designed for a researcher who thrives on applying advanced analytical toolkits, ranging from AI/ML to advanced spectroscopy techniques, across a diverse portfolio of research initiatives. As a key member of our lab, you will not be siloed into a single project. Instead, you will provide the digital-first characterization and mechanistic evaluation necessary to advance materials discovery for extreme environments, bio-inspired elastomers, and autonomous laboratory workflows. You will drive the characterization and data-driven analysis for several high-impact research areas, including: Space Survivability: Investigating how extreme stressors, such as atomic oxygen and ionizing radiation, interact with and degrade organic surfaces. Hierarchical Materials: Mapping the nanostructure and self-assembly of peptide-based synthetic rubbers and hybrid polymers. Closed-Loop Discovery: Integrating laboratory hardware with AI/ML optimization to automate the discovery of resilient, functional materials. This is a pipeline requisition posted in advance of approved headcount for future hiring needs. Our team is always interested in speaking with exceptional candidates though please note this is a Pipeline posting with more of an eye towards our future needs rather than necessarily being an immediate hire.