Principal Engineer - Materials Discovery Research Institute

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Research Engineer at UL Materials Discovery Research Institute (MDRI) based in our Skokie, Illinois, facilities.

The Principal Research Engineer partners with researchers and engineers to apply advanced scientific and engineering expertise in materials discovery and development. This role focuses on demonstrating the performance, scalability, and real-world impact of novel materials—from laboratory concepts through prototype and demonstration scale—to advance global safety and sustainability.

• Leverage deep expertise in materials development, scale‑up, and testing to plan, design, and execute engineering experiments that transition materials from lab‑scale to demonstration‑scale prototypes.

• Lead complex research initiatives through effective planning, execution, and oversight, ensuring project objectives, quality standards, timelines, and budgets are met; serve as Principal Investigator (PI) for large research programs.

• Contribute to strategic and long‑range planning by identifying emerging growth areas, evaluating technical and market opportunities, and developing techno‑economic models and assessment tools.

• Mentor, coach, and develop team members, fostering technical excellence, leadership capability, and professional growth.

• Ensure accurate and timely collection, analysis, documentation, and archiving of research data within LIMS or designated data repositories; actively support data science initiatives and cross‑functional data efforts.

• Expand the institute’s visibility and influence through national and international presentations, publications, and active leadership or participation in external professional organizations.

• Leverage strong technical judgment, scientific creativity, independent thinking, and effective collaboration across disciplines.

• Comply with the Underwriters Laboratories Code of Conduct and all laboratory safety, physical security, and digital security requirements.

• Perform additional duties as assigned.

• People
  :
  Our people make us special. You'll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today's global challenges require.

• Interesting work
  :
  Every day is different for us here. We see what's on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve
  :
  We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values
  . Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards
  :
  All employees at UL Research Institutes are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager.
  
  We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

• Collaborative, inclusive, and positive work ethic.

• Ability to operate effectively at both strategic and operational levels, with strong attention to detail.

• Strong interpersonal skills enabling productive collaboration with researchers, engineers, and cross‑functional partners.

• Intellectual curiosity and commitment to advancing the materials discovery and research mission.

• Proven problem‑solving skills, including root cause analysis and development of practical, scalable solutions.

• Excellent…