R&D Scientist – Battery Thermal Materials; Contractor position

At DuPont, our purpose is to empower the world with essential innovations to thrive. We work on things that matter. Whether it’s providing clean water to more than a billion people on the planet, producing materials that are essential in everyday technology devices from smartphones to electric vehicles, or protecting workers around the world.

We are seeking a highly motivated R&D Scientist to join the Battery Thermal Materials R&D team in Freienbach, Switzerland. The role focuses on the development of thermally conductive adhesives and thermal interface materials (TIMs) for advanced battery applications in close collaboration with customers, manufacturing, and cross‑functional internal teams.

The successful candidate will combine strong chemistry fundamentals, hands‑on laboratory skills, analytical rigor, and innovative thinking to design, develop, and qualify new material solutions that meet demanding customer critical‑to‑quality (CTQ) requirements.

• Develop new thermally conductive adhesive and thermal interface material formulations, from concept through customer qualification
• Design and optimize formulations to meet customer‑specific CTQs, including thermal, mechanical, processing, and reliability requirements
• Apply structured formulation design approaches and experimental planning to accelerate development

• Perform root cause analysis on complex technical challenges using strong analytical and data‑driven methodologies
• Interpret experimental results, draw sound technical conclusions, and define clear next steps
• Apply innovative, out‑of‑the‑box thinking to develop novel technical solutions beyond conventional approaches

• Plan and execute material testing and validation programs, including internal testing and customer‑specific qualification requirements
• Ensure data quality, robustness, and traceability throughout the qualification process
• Support customer trials and technical discussions during product validation phases

• Maintain a hands‑on presence in the laboratory, executing experiments and supporting troubleshooting activities
• Collaborate closely with lab technicians, providing technical guidance, task prioritization, and informal leadership
• Contribute to SWAT‑team project execution, balancing speed, rigor, and collaboration

• Apply data analysis and statistical methods to formulation development and testing
• Work with a LIMS and data management system to capture and analyze data

• Master’s degree in Chemistry (or closely related field such as Materials Science or Chemical Engineering). PhD is a plus but not required
• Strong foundation in polymer chemistry, formulations, and materials characterization
• Proven hands‑on laboratory experience in applied R&D
• Strong analytical mindset with demonstrated problem‑solving capability
• Ability to collaborate effectively in cross‑functional, multicultural teams
• Excellent communication skills in English (written and verbal)
• Business fluent (written and spoken) in German and English

• Experience with thermally conductive materials, adhesives, or TIMs
• Exposure to data analytics, statistics, or machine learning in an R&D context
• Experience interacting directly with customers in a technical role
• Willingness to represent DuPont at technical conferences

• A hands‑on, technically deep role at the interface of chemistry, materials science, and battery technology
• High visibility projects with leading automotive and battery OEM customers
• A collaborative SWAT‑team environment combining chemists and lab technicians
• Strong platform for technical growth, external visibility, and long‑term career development within Du Pont

DuPont is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.

DuPont offers a comprehensive pay and benefits package. To learn more visit the Compensation and Benefits page.