Senior Scientist R&D

Overview

Toyota Research Institute of North America, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is seeking a Senior Scientist to lead the in-house research on hydrocarbon polymer materials. This role will join a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers to develop advanced hydrocarbon membrane and ionomer materials for fuel cell and water electrolysis applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, synthesis, and characterization of hydrocarbon polymer materials for membrane and ionomer applications in fuel cell and water electrolyzers.
• Develop synthesis strategies to explore different types of hydrocarbon polymer chemistries and perform performance polymer characterizations using techniques such as GPC, NMR, IEC, DMA, and other relevant analytical methods.
• Collaborate with electrochemical device experts to design and modify polymer structures and support material integration into fuel cell and water electrolysis devices.
• Work with external partners to support polymer scale-up from laboratory synthesis to larger-scale batches.
• Address emerging technical challenges in the field of polymer materials research.
• Prepare high-impact publications, patent applications, and technical reports; deliver regular updates to the team and management; and present findings at conferences.
• Contribute to defining technical roadmaps and project strategies in alignment with organizational goals.
• Mentor and support junior scientists and lab assistants in the planning and execution of polymer research.

Requirements

• Must possess a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, or a closely related scientific discipline, with demonstrated expertise in polymer chemistry and materials development.
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience and hands-on in monomer and polymer design, synthesis, modification, and characterization.
• Experience developing and synthesizing advanced polymeric materials using a variety of polymerization and functionalization approaches is strongly preferred, including techniques such as Diels-Alder, condensation, ROMP, superacid polymerization, and sulfonation.
• Experience with ion-exchange polymers for fuel cell and water electrolysis applications.

Qualifications

• Experience in scaling polymer synthesis from laboratory scale to large-scale batch production.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced research environment, prioritize effectively, manage multiple tasks, and adapt to changing requirements.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly self-motivated, with intellectual curiosity, initiative, and a drive to overcome technical challenges.