Analytical Chemist - Energetics & Process Development

Job Description

Analytical Chemist - Build the Chemistry Behind Next-Generation Manufacturing

Waltham, Massachusetts On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join an early-stage advanced manufacturing company developing new chemical production processes for critical defense applications. The team is building highly automated manufacturing systems designed to take complex chemistry from laboratory development through pilot-scale production and ultimately into repeatable, high-rate manufacturing. As an Analytical Chemist, you will own much of the analytical foundation behind that effort. You will develop methods for characterizing reaction intermediates, impurities, raw materials, and finished products, while working closely with process scientists and engineers as chemistry moves from the bench into larger-scale production. This is not a routine testing or established QC role. Many of the analytical methods, workflows, and laboratory systems still need to be created. You will have significant ownership over how chemistry is measured, understood, validated, and ultimately qualified for production.

About Us

We are a venture-backed advanced manufacturing company applying modern chemistry, automation, and process engineering to an industry where manufacturing technology has changed relatively little for decades. Our work combines hands-on experimental chemistry with automated production systems to create safer, more scalable manufacturing capabilities for national security applications. The company is moving quickly from development into pilot-scale production, giving chemists the opportunity to see their work progress from early experimentation through real-world manufacturing.

Job Duties

Own analytical method development and product characterization across chemical R&D and process development programs

Develop and validate HPLC, GC, LC-MS, and related chromatographic methods for intermediates, impurities, and finished materials

Develop quantitative NMR methods to evaluate reaction conversion, composition, and process performance

Use DSC, TGA, FTIR, microscopy, laser diffraction, and related techniques to characterize material properties, thermal behavior, particle size, and morphology

Establish analytical approaches for chemistry and materials where established test methods may not yet exist

Partner directly with chemists and process engineers to understand reaction behavior, identify failure modes, and improve manufacturing processes

Support experimental chemistry as processes move from laboratory-scale development into pilot-scale production

Build analytical data packages supporting product qualification, first-article acceptance, and regulatory or customer documentation

Specify, procure, install, commission, and qualify laboratory instrumentation

Establish calibration, standards, reproducibility, LOD/LOQ, and instrument-quality practices across the chemistry laboratory

Write SOPs, analytical procedures, validation protocols, and technical documentation from the ground up

Investigate discrepancies in analytical results and determine whether root causes originate from chemistry, process conditions, hardware, sampling, or analytical methods

Support applicable military or industry testing requirements in coordination with internal technicians and external laboratories

Build or improve data-analysis workflows that allow scientists and engineers to quickly interpret current results and compare historical process data

Maintain a high standard for analytical reproducibility and data quality across the laboratory

Periodically support chemistry development and testing at a nearby pilot manufacturing facility

Qualifications

B.S., M.S., or PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline

Strong hands-on analytical chemistry background with experience developing methods rather than exclusively executing established procedures

Experience with analytical techniques such as HPLC, GC, LC-MS, NMR, FTIR, DSC/TGA, IC, ICP, or comparable instrumentation

Experience validating analytical methods and establishing repeatable testing procedures

Strong understanding of analytical accuracy, precision, calibration, reproducibility, detection limits, and instrument performance

Ability to troubleshoot instruments, analytical methods, experimental procedures, and unexpected chemistry results

Comfortable working directly in laboratory and pilot manufacturing environments

Strong quantitative skills and the ability to interpret complex experimental data

Ability to operate independently in an environment where procedures, infrastructure, and analytical standards are still being developed

Strong written communication skills for SOPs, test procedures, technical reports, and qualification documentation

U.S. Person as defined by applicable U.S. export-control regulations

Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance

Ability to work on-site and travel periodically between development and pilot facilities

Ability to lift up to 50 pounds

Preferred Experience

Analytical chemistry experience supporting energetic materials, propellants, explosives, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or other tightly controlled chemical manufacturing environments

Experience supporting chemical process development from laboratory scale into pilot or production environments

Background investigating reaction intermediates, impurities, degradation products, or process chemistry

Experience establishing an analytical laboratory or selecting and commissioning instrumentation

Familiarity with military specifications, qualification testing, first-article testing, or regulated product acceptance

Experience with high-hazard or highly regulated chemical systems

Experience automating analytical data processing, visualization, or laboratory workflows

Exposure to statistical process control, design of experiments, or manufacturing-quality systems

Experience working in an early-stage company, R&D organization, national laboratory, or other environment requiring significant technical ownership

Demonstrated interest in moving scientific work beyond benchtop research and into scalable manufacturing

Why Join Us

Own analytical chemistry within a technically challenging manufacturing environment

Develop methods and laboratory capabilities rather than simply inherit established procedures

Work directly across chemistry, process development, automation, and manufacturing

See experiments progress from the laboratory into pilot-scale and production hardware

Join at an early stage where individual scientists can have significant influence over technical direction and laboratory standards

Equity participation through company stock or stock options

Eligibility for discretionary individual and company performance bonuses

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Compensation Details

$120,000 - $160,000

Full-time