Senior / Principal Scientist, Functional Materials

As a Senior/Principal Scientist, Functional Materials at Lila, you will lead R&D in functional materials with tailored electronic, spin, and structural properties. This role involves defining the R&D roadmap, designing experiments to tune material properties, establishing structure-property relationships, and building reproducible scientific workflows. You will also translate lab innovations towards pilot and manufacturing, accelerating scientific discovery through AI-accelerated experimentation for next-generation energy and information systems.

Must Have

• Define and drive the R&D roadmap with clear milestones and success criteria.
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments to tune composition, processing, and microstructure.
• Establish quantitative structure–property relationships using state-of-the-art characterization and modeling.
• Build reproducible workflows for data, documentation, and quality.
• Translate lab processes toward pilot/manufacturing with robust SOPs and team mentorship.
• PhD in Materials Science, Metallurgy, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 5–7+ years in experimental physical sciences or engineering.
• Expertise in functional materials with tailored electronic, spin, or structural properties.
• Experience in solid-state materials discovery, synthesis, and characterization.
• Strong background in structure–property relationships in advanced inorganic materials.
• Knowledge of spin-related phenomena and experience developing materials with tunable electronic and magnetic properties.
• Hands-on experience with materials synthesis and characterization (XRD, TEM, SQUID, VSM, neutron scattering).
• Demonstrated ability to translate materials innovations into functional devices or prototypes.
• Proven ability to form and lead diverse teams of cross-functional researchers.
• Strong collaboration, documentation, and EHS practices.

Good to Have

• Experience with autonomous or AI-accelerated research systems.
• Powder metallurgy and/or advanced film/coating processes.
• Experience across hard and/or soft functional materials.
• Proven track record transferring processes from lab toward pilot or production.
• Supplier development, technology transfer, and external partnerships.

Perks & Benefits

• Bonus potential
• Generous early equity

Your Impact at Lila

As a Senior/Principal Scientist, Functional Materials, you will define and drive cutting-edge R&D in functional materials with tailored electronic, spin, and structural properties. You’ll lead discovery and optimization efforts, establish reproducible scientific workflows, and help translate innovations from the lab toward pilot and manufacturing. Your work will directly accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, shaping how AI-accelerated experimentation transforms materials science for next-generation energy and information systems.

What You'll Be Building

• Define and drive the R&D roadmap with clear milestones and success criteria across discovery, optimization, and scale-up.
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments to tune composition, processing, and microstructure for target properties (electronic, spin, and structural).
• Establish quantitative structure–property relationships using state-of-the-art characterization and modeling.
• Build reproducible workflows for data, documentation, and quality in collaboration with automation/ML partners (closed-loop experimentation, high-throughput methods).
• Translate lab processes toward pilot/manufacturing with robust SOPs, supplier/partner interfaces, and team mentorship.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• PhD in Materials Science, Metallurgy, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 5–7+ years in experimental physical sciences or engineering (materials science, applied physics, metallurgy, chemical engineering).
• Expertise in functional materials with tailored electronic, spin, or structural properties; experience in solid-state materials discovery, synthesis, and characterization; strong background in structure–property relationships in advanced inorganic materials.
• Knowledge of spin-related phenomena (e.g., spintronics, magnetic resonance) and experience developing materials with tunable electronic and magnetic properties; familiarity with quantum-informed materials concepts for energy or information systems.
• Hands-on experience with materials synthesis (bulk, thin films, nanostructures); proficiency with characterization such as XRD, TEM, SQUID, VSM, or neutron scattering; demonstrated ability to translate materials innovations into functional devices or prototypes.
• Proven ability (e.g. via patents and publications) to form and lead diverse teams of cross-functional researchers in fast-paced R&D environments; strong collaboration, documentation, and EHS practices.

Bonus Points For

• Experience with autonomous or AI-accelerated research systems (closed-loop experimentation, robotic lab platforms, data/ML-integrated workflows).
• Powder metallurgy (powder synthesis, classification, densification) and/or advanced film/coating processes.
• Experience across hard and/or soft functional materials (e.g., rare-earth systems, Fe-based soft materials, nanocrystalline alloys, composites).
• Proven track record transferring processes from lab toward pilot or production with measurable improvements.
• Supplier development, technology transfer, and external partnerships.

Compensation

We expect the base salary for this role to fall between $156,000–$246,000 USD per year, along with bonus potential and generous early equity. The final offer will reflect your unique background, expertise, and impact.

We’re All In

Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

A Note to Agencies

Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.

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