Assistant Chemist – Materials Science

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Are you passionate about making the world better? Are you looking for an organization that aligns with your values? MRIGlobal solves challenging problems through science, engineering, and program management. We are an independent scientific research organization dedicated to benefiting society and fostering a safe, healthy, and sustainable environment.

When you embark on a career with MRIGlobal, you are joining a crew of world‑class talent and problem solvers. Established in 1944, MRIGlobal is headquartered in Kansas City, MO, working in several states including Virginia and Maryland. MRIGlobal is seeking a highly motivated person to join our Integrated Defense Solutions Business Unit as an Assistant Chemist in Charlottesville, VA. The successful candidate will join a team of scientists actively conducting materials forensics and analysis.

The ideal candidate will possess experience in materials science and/or chemistry.

Successful candidates will have a passion for applied research and developing technically sound solutions to real‑world problems. The Assistant Chemist will be an integral part of our team supporting and directing research and development laboratory activities, while gaining a thorough understanding of relevant federal programs, QA/Safety/SOPs, and analytical instrumentation. Candidates should possess a basic understanding of materials testing/characterization, and be able to apply that understanding toward creative problem resolution to meet client expectations and deadlines.

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. In order to meet the government security investigation requirements, U.S. citizenship is a requirement.

• Perform various standard preparation, sample preparation, and sample analysis tasks.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot a variety of analytical instrumentations.
• Assist in development of analytical methods.
• Perform analysis adhering to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Perform technical reviews of analytical data and reports.
• Contribute to technical proposals, reports, and/or papers for publication or presentation with clear results and concise, well‑supported conclusions.
• Interact with clients to provide updates and summary of testing results.

Applicants MUST be a U.S. Citizen and be eligible to obtain a Department of Defense Clearance.

• B.S. in Chemistry, Materials Science, or related field with 0‑2 years of related experience; or appropriate combination of education and experience.
• Strong organizational skills, problem‑solving aptitude, and adaptability to changing priorities.
• Possess excellent legible and logical laboratory records documentation.
• PC skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Project, and Outlook) and ability to learn new software and systems.

• Prior industry experience with materials testing/characterization of metals, composites, polymers, and/or ceramics.
• Prior experience with any of the following techniques:
  • Inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS/MS) or optical emission spectrometry (ICP‑OES).
  • Scanning electron microscopy – energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM‑EDS).
  • Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) or differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
  • Tensile testing.
  • Hardness testing.
  • X‑ray diffraction (XRD) or fluorescence (XRF).
  • FTIR and/or Raman spectroscopy.
• Familiarity with keeping laboratory areas up to date with safety and security requirements.
• Experience maintaining legible and logical laboratory records documentation.

$53,129 – $58,350

The salary range is intended as a general guideline and is not a guaranteed offer, as compensation depends on various factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate qualifications, experience, internal equity, and market conditions.

MRIGlobal also provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health and life insurance, disability coverage, gym reimbursement, mental health support, paid holidays, and PTO.

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