Research Associate; Materials

C5R is building facilities that connect frontier AI to the physical world. We see this connection as a force for good in expanding humanity’s tech tree.

We are hiring a materials scientist to design, run, and scale up materials experiments while helping build our in-house research facility in San Francisco from the ground up.

This is not a role focused on one narrow scientific question. It is abouttwo things at once: helping AI — from LLMs to domain-specific science models — get better at doing materials science, and building afacility that stands up new protocols and experiments faster and more autonomously over time.

• Synthesize and characterize an increasingly wide range of materials, including ceramics, alloys, and batteries.
• Set up and integrate an ever-growing instrument stack — furnaces, sputtering systems, XRDs, and SEMs — so each can be run both by hand and autonomously, as we build toward a facility that runs more and more of materials science on its own.
• Design experiment protocols, troubleshoot, and iterate alongside AI as the scientist in the loop refining the AI’s plans.
• Source and buy equipment and reagents, set up new instruments, and improve facility infrastructure and best practices as we scale.
• Communicate and consult with the engineering team and users about ways to improve facility systems and robotic workflows.
• Take on a wide range of evolving responsibilities, staying flexible and willing to jump in wherever needed as we build the facility while operating it.

• Hands-on lab experience synthesizing and characterizing materials in at least two different areas.
• At least two years of experience working in materials R&D labs.
• At least a BS in materials science, materials engineering, or similar.
• Comfortable drafting experimental protocols from scratch and iterating on them until they’re highly reliable.
• Strong attention to detail, diligence, and pride in running experiments carefully.
• Enthusiasm for doing science in a new way, and for working alongside AI systems as collaborators rather than just tools.
• Ability to work onsite in San Francisco.

• Experience with lab automation, high-throughput experimentation, or robotic materials workflows.
• Experience in a startup, early lab, core facility, shared lab, or environment where you had to build processes from scratch.
• Interest in AI for science, self-driving labs, robotics, scientific infrastructure, or automated experimentation.
• Evidence that you can communicate clearly with engineers, scientists, and operators.

• $70,000-$100,000 annualized for full-time.
• Competitive equity package.
• Temporary stints of at least 3 months may be possible.
• This role is onsite in San Francisco only.

To apply, email  with a shortnote about the most interesting experiment you’ve run and why.