Senior- Scaled Inorganic Particle Synthesis Scientist

About Aero Vironment

Aero Vironment (AV) is a global leader in autonomous, multi-domain robotic systems, tactical missile systems, and high-altitude pseudo-satellites. Founded on a legacy of groundbreaking aerospace innovation, AV redefines mission-critical capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.

Regular

Aero Vironment (AV) is a global leader in autonomous, multi-domain robotic systems, tactical missile systems, and high-altitude pseudo-satellites. Founded on a legacy of groundbreaking aerospace innovation, AV redefines mission-critical capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.

Aero Vironment is seeking a Scaled Inorganic Particle Synthesis Scientist to drive advanced materials development for high-performance defense systems. In this role, you will lead the bridge between benchtop chemical discovery and batch/continuous scale-up of novel inorganic powders, ceramic precursors, and high-temperature functional nanoparticles.

As a Senior scientist, you will act as a key subject matter expert (SME), operating with high autonomy while providing technical mentorship to lower-tier scientists and engineers. You will lead cross-functional projects, manage lab-to-pilot scale-up workflows, and collaborate closely with government research partners (e.g., Air Force Research Laboratory - AFRL) and internal flight/warhead structural teams.

• Lead technical execution for the synthesis, purification, and pilot-scale batch production of advanced inorganic powders, non-oxide ceramics, and high-temperature precursors.
• Develop scalable wet-chemical, sol-gel, vapor-phase, or solid-state synthetic routes to transition novel formulations from gram-scale research to multi-kilogram production.
• Serve as the technical lead on advanced material research tasks, translating high-level program requirements into concrete chemical synthesis matrix plans.
• Establish quality control, stoichiometry, morphologic, and particle-size distribution parameters using automated instrumentation and process analytical technology (PAT).
• Oversee advanced material characterization techniques including XRD, SEM/EDS, TGA/DSC, BET surface area analysis, laser diffraction particle sizing, and rheometry.
• Establish inert-atmosphere chemistry protocols (Schlenk line, glovebox operations) for air/moisture-sensitive inorganic and organometallic precursors.
• Work closely with composite, structural, and payload engineering teams to integrate synthesized powders into downstream manufacturing processes (e.g., sintering, additive manufacturing, slurry coatings).
• Guide, mentor, and review the work products of junior scientists, engineers, and lab technicians.
• Manage project deliverables, technical risk registers, schedule milestones, and research budgets for internal research and development (IRAD) or contracted customer programs.
• Prepare and present technical progress reports and design reviews to executive leadership, DoD stakeholders, and external technical partners.

• Proven track record in the synthetic scale-up of inorganic systems (e.g., borides, carbides, nitrides, oxides, or inorganic polymers).
• Hands‑on experience with reactor design, reaction kinetics, particle nucleation/growth control, and powder processing (e.g., milling, spray drying, calcination).
• Strong expertise in air‑free synthesis techniques (Schlenk lines, glove boxes) and characterization tools (SEM, XRD, TGA).

• Education:
  
  Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, or a related field with 3–5+ years of industry/postdoctoral experience; OR an M.S. degree with 6–8+ years of relevant scaled-synthesis experience.
• U.S. Citizenship:
  Required due to work within government facilities and access to export‑controlled data.

• Experience collaborating with government labs (e.g., AFRL, NRL, ORNL) on DoD or DARPA advanced materials programs.
• Direct experience with preceramic polymers or high‑temperature structural ceramics for aerospace/defense applications.
• Knowledge of Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology and…