Senior Scientist - Critical Materials

About the role

This role serves as a key synthetic chemist supporting Corning’s strategic efforts in Critical Materials, including pharmaceutical intermediates, energetic materials, and critical minerals. The position centers on innovation in material synthesis and extraction using AFR technology as a core enabling platform, with responsibilities spanning synthetic route design, process development, data generation, IP support, and cross-functional project leadership and execution.

Responsibilities

• Designing novel molecules and reaction pathways to enable efficient synthesis and processing of target materials across batch and flow platforms.
• Developing, optimizing, and scaling chemical processes, including reaction screening, condition optimization, troubleshooting, and translation from lab-scale to pilot or production-relevant systems.
• Driving innovation in critical minerals extraction, leveraging fundamental chemistry principles to improve yield, selectivity, cost-efficiency, and process robustness.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including materials characterization, engineering, and project management, to deliver integrated solutions and meet project objectives.
• Ensuring safe and effective laboratory operations, including contributing to the development and continuous improvement of safety practices, protocols, and compliant experimental workflows.
• Monitoring scientific and technological trends in synthetic chemistry, process chemistry, and related fields (including flow chemistry) to identify and drive new opportunities for innovation and business impact.
• Collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and documenting experimental data to support technical decision-making, intellectual property generation, and patent filings.

Requirements

• PhD degree in Polymer, Organic Chemistry, or related discipline.
• Familiarity with analytical techniques such as NMR, GC-MS, UPLC, and FTIR.
• Experience in critical mineral extraction.
• Demonstrated experience with batch synthesis of small organic molecules and/or polymers, including synthesis, purifications, and characterizations; experience in scale-up is highly preferred.
• Excellent documentation and data analysis skills for intellectual property and reporting.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to interact with customers and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working in a fast-paced project environment to meet deadlines.

Qualifications

• Experience in critical mineral extraction.
• Experience in batch synthesis of small organic molecules and/or polymers, including synthesis, purifications, and characterizations; experience in scale-up is highly preferred.
• Excellent documentation and data analysis skills for intellectual property and reporting.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to interact with customers and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working in a fast-paced project environment to meet deadlines.

Skills

• Advanced Flow Reactor (AFR) technology.
• Designing novel molecules and reaction pathways.
• Process development and optimization.
• Data generation and interpretation.
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Safety practices and protocol development.
• Scientific and technological trend monitoring.

Benefits

• Company-wide bonuses and long-term incentives.
• 100% company-paid pension benefit with fixed contributions that grow throughout your career.
• Matching contributions to your 401(k) savings plan.
• Health and well-being benefits including medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, family building support, fitness, company-paid life insurance, disability, disease management programs, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Pay

The range for this position is $87,079.00 - $119,734.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.

Schedule

Full-time position.