Director of Materials Science; Hybrid

Purple is a digitally-native vertical brand with a mission to help people feel and live better through innovative comfort solutions. To us, comfort means more than great products, it means empowering every employee to feel comfortable being themselves. We believe your career at Purple will be a one-of-a-kind “Career in Comfort” because our workforce is one-of-a-kind. We are committed to a culture of collaboration where every voice is heard and understood.

As an innovation company at our core, we believe a diversity workforce brings better insights, solutions and products and serves as the backbone to bettering our company. Join with us as we add to our team of exceptional individuals who will help us take over the world — one mattress at a time.

Compensation

Job Summary This is an onsite position at our HQ in Draper, UT, with remote work as business and laboratory needs allow.

The Director of Materials Science is a hands-on technical leader within the Materials Science Team in the Innovations Department. You are the backbone of the technological improvement to Purple's comfort technology offerings, centered on our Hyper-Elastic Polymer and the Gel Flex Grid it creates, and much of the work is at the forefront of the company's innovation pipeline. Alongside leading day-to-day laboratory work, you represent Materials Science to senior leadership and, when required, the Board of Directors, turning lab results into clear business recommendations.

Job Description How you’ll shape the future of comfort

Lead, hire, and develop a small team of Materials Scientists and Technicians, supporting them with project planning, execution, mentorship, performance management, and career development, and scale the team as the function grows by defining the roles, structure, and career paths that make Purple a destination for materials talent.

Contribute to and help shape the multi-year materials science roadmap, aligned with Innovations and company product, cost, and growth goals, while managing multiple projects at once and prioritizing work according to team, department, and company goals.

Lead hands-on laboratory investigations into modifications and improvements of Hyper-Elastic Polymer Gels relating to both the product and processes, including literature research, DOE-based blending and formulation plans, and mechanical and physical testing.

Own the Chemical Hygiene and Laboratory Safety programs and the laboratory notebook and report structure, setting rigorous standards for experimental design, analytical methods, documentation, and data integrity.

Lead the transfer of new formulations from lab to full-scale production, partnering with Manufacturing on scale-up, process validation, and yield improvement.

Serve as the subject matter expert on HEP and polymer materials, acting as liaison between Materials Science and internal teams (Production, Quality, Engineering, Product Development, Supply Chain, and Marketing), and publish internal reports and present findings to senior leadership and, when required, the Board of Directors.

Build and protect Purple's materials intellectual property in partnership with Legal, including invention disclosures and patent filings, and manage external partnerships with suppliers, universities, and contract labs.

Travel occasionally off-site to corporate and vendor sites (