Research Scientist

Role Description

Via is seeking a hands-on Research Scientist II to join our New Applications group. This role is critical to expanding Via’s reach into new industrial sectors. You will be responsible for the "first look" at diverse industrial feedstocks, determining how our membrane technology stands up to new chemical environments. This position sits at the bridge between R&D and commercial deployment, requiring a mix of disciplined analytical testing and creative material fabrication.

Responsibilities

• Feedstock Screening: Characterize and test new industrial feedstocks to evaluate safety as well as compatibility and performance with Via’s membrane platforms.
• Performance Benchmarking: Execute bench-scale filtration experiments to measure critical metrics, specifically solute rejection, flux, and permeability.
• Lifetime & Stability Testing: Design and run long-term experiments to determine membrane durability, fouling rates, and cleaning effectiveness over time.
• Membrane Fabrication: Support the R&D pipeline by performing "hand coatings" and bench-top membrane casting to iterate on novel surface chemistries.
• Analytical Measurement: Utilize analytical tools (e.g., GC, UV-Vis, TOC, KF, or conductivity) to provide high-accuracy data on feed and permeate streams.
• Data Synthesis: Analyze experimental results, maintain rigorous documentation, and communicate findings to the engineering and sales teams to inform go/no-go decisions on new applications.

Qualifications

• Education: B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related technical field.
• Experience: 3 years of experience in a laboratory or pilot plant environment. Experience with membrane separations (RO, NF, UF) is a significant plus.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with wet chemistry, handling pressurized fluid systems, and basic analytical instrumentation.
• Behavioral Competencies: A "builder" mindset with a high degree of manual dexterity; you enjoy working with your hands, troubleshooting hardware, and iterating on physical prototypes.
• Travel: Occasional travel (up to 10%) to customer sites or field pilots may be required.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation package, including equity options
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Disability & Life Insurance
• 401(k)
• 12 weeks paid Family Leave
• Paid time off for Company holidays