Where is the Materials R&D Engineer role at this employer based?

This role is based in Boulder, CO.

What degree is required for the Materials R&D Engineer role at this employer?

This role requires a Not specified.

How many years of experience does this Materials R&D Engineer role require?

The posting calls for at least 3 years of relevant experience.

What polymers or materials does this Materials R&D Engineer role work with?

liquid metal, thin dielectrics, thin films, surface coatings, polymers.

What techniques or methods are required for this Materials R&D Engineer role?

surface characterization, electrical characterization, mechanical testing, wetting/adhesion measurements.

One of 6,436 open polymer and materials roles on Crosslinked, each read for materials, degree, visa and salary. See roles like this

Materials R&D Engineer

· Boulder, COtoday

Develop and validate materials, interfaces and fabrication methods for a novel electrostatic actuator platform through hands-on lab R&D.

Apply

Get new Electronic materials · R&D / Research roles by email

Weekly, free, one-click unsubscribe.

Apply

Worth knowing

Why it is interesting. Early-hire ownership of liquid-metal interface and thin dielectric development for a novel actuator platform

Mostly at the benchGeneralist PhD-friendly

Core polymer roleDevelop materials, liquid-metal interfaces, surface coatings, thin dielectrics, bonding; thin films, polymers, adhesion, wetting, dielectric behavior, mechanical properties

Seniority: Mid-level
Work: On-site
Type: Full-time
Experience: 3+ yrs
Industry: Electronics
Role: R&D / Research

Materials

liquid metal1 rolethin dielectricsthin films109 roles surface coatings4 roles polymers530 roleseutectic metal solder

Techniques

surface characterization14 roles electrical characterization8 roles mechanical testing171 roleswetting/adhesion measurements

Role details

We’re looking for a hands-on Materials R&D Engineer to develop and validate materials, interfaces, and fabrication approaches for a novel electrostatic actuator platform. This role combines creative experimental design, first-principles calculations, and practical lab work. As an early hire, you will directly shape the materials choices and development strategy.

What You’ll Do

Experimental Design: Identify key uncertainties, make first-principles estimates, and devise creative experiments to test ideas and guide design decisions.

Materials Development: Investigate liquid-metal interfaces, surface coatings, thin dielectrics, and bonding methods; connect material properties to actuator performance.

Lab Prototyping: Prepare samples, build test fixtures, and collaborate with our microfabrication team to turn concepts into working demonstrations.

Characterization: Develop repeatable measurements of electrical, mechanical, and surface behavior; analyze data, investigate failure modes, and iterate.

Qualifications

Experience: 3+ years of hands-on experimental R&D in materials science, applied physics, or a related engineering field.

Core technical skills

Strong materials science fundamentals, including surface interactions, wetting, adhesion, dielectric behavior, and mechanical properties

Practical experience with thin films, surface treatments, eutectic metal solder, polymers, or microfabrication

Demonstrated ability to independently design experiments, build apparatus, select measurement techniques, and interpret results

Comfort using calculations and quantitative data analysis to evaluate ideas and prioritize experiments

What we value

Strong problem-solving abilities with a first-principles approach to complex challenges

Clear communication and strong ownership in a startup setting

Genuine enthusiasm for robotics and physically intelligent systems

A builder mindset: rapid iteration, learning from failure, and shipping real hardware

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience