Senior Staff Scientist, Surface Chemistry
About The Position
We are seeking a Senior Staff Surface Chemist to develop surface crucial to our platforms. This role combines subject matter expertise with hands-on work in a dynamic, high growth environment. In this role, the candidate will contribute to the selection and implementation of surface chemistry, including materials and processes for functionalizing substrates made by complex methods. In addition, the candidate will design and execute complex experiments to optimize and gain a deeper understanding of surface chemistry and interactions with relevant biomolecules. The candidate must be a highly effective communicator, and comfortable interacting with multi-disciplinary teams including engineers, biologists, chemists. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in surface chemistry with a systems-level understanding of workflows and the ability to drive projects from concept through commercialization. The role is a unique opportunity to be a key contributor to the core platform for our company.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or science discipline (Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, etc.), with 6+ years of industrial experience.
- Demonstrated expertise in surface functionalization, coatings, and immobilization strategies
- Strong understanding of biochemical assays and how surface chemistry impacts performance
- Proven ability to lead complex technical projects in a multidisciplinary environment
- Proven track record in careful experimental design and execution (use of proper controls, DOEs, etc.).
- Experience with surface chemistry methods
- Experience using surface metrology techniques
- Experience with integration of surface chemistries with other systems.
- Experience with statistical data analysis (JMP, Python, R, etc.).
- Hands-on willingness to contribute at the bench.
- Strong communication with chemists, bioinformaticians, engineers.
- Comfortable with ambiguity, fast iteration, and high-risk/high-reward environments.
Nice To Haves
- Experience setting up and scaling lab infrastructure and processes.
- Experience supporting products in regulated or high-reliability environments
- Understanding of cutting edge technologies
Responsibilities
- Design and optimize surface functionalization strategies
- Develop coatings and surface treatments
- Engineer surfaces compatible with enzymatic reactions
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional and hardware teams to integrate surface chemistry into complete workflows
- Ensure surface chemistries are compatible with upstream and downstream processes
- Define experimental strategies, DoE’s, and interpret complex datasets to guide chemistry decisions
- Establish and refine assays, characterization methods, and QC metrics for surface performance and stability
- Troubleshoot performance issues related to surface chemistry at both lab and system levels
- Translate bench-scale chemistries into robust, manufacturable, and reproducible processes
- Encourage risk-taking, problem-solving, and fast-fail approaches while maintaining strict scientific rigor.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation and equity package, comprehensive benefits, and flexibility to support work-life integration.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
