Senior Scientist, Formulation Chemistry

Ayrton Energy's mission is to propel the global shift towards sustainable energy with broad deployment of our cutting-edge hydrogen storage technology, reshaping hydrogen distribution to mirror the safety, simplicity, and efficiency of traditional fuels such as diesel or gasoline.

Are you ready to embark on a dynamic career journey with a rapidly growing company? Ayrton Energy is seeking a dedicated and adaptable individual to join our team in a role that requires a "get it done" attitude and a commitment to excellence. You will play a pivotal role in developing and optimizing polymer formulations and coating processes that support the performance and advancement of our technology.

You will love this job if:

• You enjoy hands-on experimental work and developing new formulations to solve challenging technical problems
• You are curious about the fundamental chemistry behind material performance, including how solvents, surfactants, and additives interact within a formulation
• You enjoy translating scientific principles into practical solutions through experimentation, testing, and data analysis
• You are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where you need to be adaptable, resourceful, and willing to try new approaches
• You want to contribute to the development of clean energy technology and products for a more sustainable future
• You enjoy working in a collaborative and supportive team environment

Your Responsibilities:

• Develop, formulate, and optimize functional inks using polymers, solvents, surfactants, plasticizers, and other additives to achieve required material properties and performance.
• Independently design and execute experiments to evaluate ink formulations, investigate ingredient interactions, and improve formulation performance.
• Apply formulated inks to substrates using appropriate coating or printing techniques, optimizing application parameters to achieve consistent and uniform coatings.
• Evaluate ink application and coating performance, including flow, leveling, adhesion, drying behaviour, and coating uniformity.
• Investigate and troubleshoot formulation and application challenges, identifying root causes and implementing improvements.
• Develop and refine coating processes, with consideration for scalability and compatibility with roll-to-roll manufacturing techniques.
• Characterize materials and analyze experimental data to guide formulation development and process optimization.
• Document experimental procedures, results, and recommendations, and prepare technical reports and supporting R&D documentation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate laboratory results into practical solutions that support the development of Ayrton Energy's technology.

Your Skills and Experience:

• Master's degree in Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, or a closely related field preferred. A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline combined with substantial, directly relevant experience may also be considered.
• 5–10 years of relevant experience in ink formulation, coating formulation, polymer chemistry, or functional materials development.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience developing and optimizing ink formulations, including selecting and adjusting polymers, solvents, surfactants, and other additives.
• Practical experience applying formulated inks to substrates using coating or printing techniques, with the ability to troubleshoot application challenges and optimize coating quality.
• Strong understanding of solvent-polymer interactions, solvation, and the influence of formulation ingredients on material properties and performance.
• Experience designing experiments, interpreting results, and independently solving complex formulation and processing challenges.
• Ability to evaluate coating quality and performance and translate experimental findings into practical formulation or process improvements.
• Strong technical documentation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across a multidisciplinary team.

Nice to Have:

• Experience developing ionic polymer formulations or working with ion-containing polymers
• Experience with coating formulation and application, particularly using roll-to-roll compatible coating techniques
• Experience with electrode coating or other functional coating applications
• Familiarity with coating process development, material characterization, and formulation performance testing
• Experience preparing technical reports, product specifications, and supporting R&D documentation

At Ayrton We Value:

• Honesty – We are solving hard problems and look for diversity in thought.
• Accountability – We value action over words and will empower you to get things done.
• Kindness – We are a team. Win together, lose together, learn together.

Benefits:

• Compensation in the form of salary and equity
• Generous vacation policy
• Health and dental benefits

We're excited to find the right candidate to join our team full-time for the long term and are ready to hire as soon as we do! While we're grateful for all interest, only those most closely aligned with the role will be contacted.

Ayrton is an equal opportunity employer that values equity, diversity, and inclusion within our team. As a women-led venture, our company strives to provide a supportive atmosphere for under-represented individuals in business and STEM fields, including a focus on work-life balance and employee mental health.