Sr. Scientist: Chemistry

El Segundo, CA | FULL-TIME

Cambium works at the interface of biotech and materials science to build sustainable next-generation defense products. We integrate computational chemistry, product design, and advanced manufacturing methods to solve difficult challenges like hardening UAVs against directed energy, protecting payloads during hypersonic flight, and streamlining the defense product manufacturing supply chain. Our people come from places like SpaceX, Anduril, Scaled Composites, Lockheed Martin Skunkworks, and US DoD Research Labs. We are seeking motivated and exceptional people to join our team.

Cambium is seeking a Polymer Chemist to join our growing team in El Segundo, CA. The successful candidate will be curious with a desire to turn concepts into products, have a strong desire to help grow a company, and will help us build a work culture of open-mindedness that embraces creativity and contrarian thinking. At Cambium we’re willing to do things differently.

THE ROLE

Cambium is seeking a Polymer Chemist to join our composite materials engineering team. You’ll work closely with our team to synthesize monomer and formulate new polymer composite resins. This will be a hands-on role and you will be involved in every step of the process – working with computational scientists to discover and synthesize new materials, providing expert guidance for operation of our on-site reactors, and optimizing materials and processes for manufacturability, cost, and most importantly, performance in extreme aerothermal environments. As Cambium experiences rapid growth, the responsibilities of this role are expected to evolve.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and synthesize compounds that open new opportunities in the high-temperature materials and composites space, particularly for Department of Defense applications.

• Work with discovery teams to evaluate synthetic routes and test alternatives that facilitate scale up of both target compounds and building blocks while providing insights for selection of development candidates

• Execute in-house process development and optimization studies to facilitate scale up and transfer to CMOs

• Provide guidance based on your chemistry expertise to support the operation of larger chemical reactors.

• Work with colleagues to design monomers and formulations to meet specific property requirements. Understand feedback provided by thermal characterization (Rheometer, DSC, TGA, DMA) and composite fabrication and testing.

• Support the manufacturing of high-temperature composite aerospace flight vehicles. Provide input on chemical processes such as curing, cleaning, and adhesive bonding to help support manufacturing.

• Understand structure/process/property relationships of thermoset polymer resins. Use your expertise and experience to support the creation of processing specifications for hand layup, resin transfer molding, filament winding and automatic tape placement.

• Provide regular progress reports to senior engineers and leadership.

• Communicate clearly and concisely key concepts, development status, performance outcomes, and lessons learned to your coworkers, investors, and collaborators.

• Prioritize safety and OSHA, EPA, and local health and safety requirements.

• Collaborate across multiple teams including world-class experts in biomaterials, polymer physics, composites, advanced manufacturing methods, aerospace design, and defense products.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to improve proprietary tools and systems.

• Create and contribute to the product demonstration and engineering teams in a manner consistent with Cambium’s mission and values and the growth of Cambium’s business.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Polymer Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field and a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience; or,

• Master’s in Polymer Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience; or,

• PhD in Polymer Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field with 0 or more years of relevant experience; or,

• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience with and a deep understanding of thermoset polymer resins

• You must have a strong desire to learn and be willing to work in a hands-on engineering role

• Due to the nature of the work, you must have US citizenship

• Some general experience with manufacturing processes for fiber-reinforced organic polymer composites is preferred, but not required

• Ability to complete tasks on time with little supervision

• Strong communication and collaboration skills

BENEFITS

Cambium offers a highly competitive compensation and benefits plan. This includes excellent medical/dental/vision benefits, as well as a matching 401(k) plan.

Salary: 125,000 – 150,000

As a condition of employment, the candidate may need to successfully complete a medical evaluation and obtain clearance to wear respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134.