Material Scientist

Location preference: State College, PA or Saint Petersburg, FL Salary Range Transparency: USD (annual) $90,000 to $120,000 Phospholutions, Inc. is an award-winning and venture-backed agtech start-up company headquartered in State College, PA that built its mission around enhancing the efficiency of global phosphorus use. Phospholutions was founded in 2016 under the belief that our global food system demands better solutions for sustainable production and responsible use of phosphorus. The company''s patented process and innovative products utilize RhizoSorb technology. RhizoSorb technology optimizes plant uptake of key nutrients like phosphorous, promoting root growth and reducing waste. Unlike traditional fertilizer, RhizoSorb products prevent fertilizer from polluting waterways, reduce fertilizer and irrigation needs, and improve the overall qualify of plants. Phospholutions, Inc. services the agriculture, turf, and ornamental industries. Coming off a series of successful research and test trials, the company is primed and positioned to expand into new markets and to hire for this newly-created position Material Scientist! If you are a resourceful, focused, and innovative technical professional who is fully-capable of supporting the research needs of a small business, diligent follow-up/attention to detail, exercising material science, chemistry, and scientific skills, and being able to manage multiple projects, we highly encourage you to apply for this position! We value energy, passion, authenticity, creativityand results! The individual hired for this position will assume ownership of and perform a diverse range of tasks, becoming an indispensable part of the rapid growth and evolution of a progressive venture-backed company, helping to design, implement, and manage a comprehensive material evaluation program as well as recommend materials for reliable product performance. The Material Scientist also serves as an internal and external resource for technical information pertaining to raw materials, material science, mining, and EHS. Among other responsibilities, this position provides support by designing and performing characterization protocols using existing lab equipment/facilities and recommending additional protocols and facility upgrades as well as developing verbal/written reports and presentations regarding evaluation findings. Work assignments are often performed with limited direct supervision and often, where only limited standardization exists; therefore, the Material Scientist must have the skills and abilities to identify and implement process and/or system improvements to achieve a defined outcome. The Material Scientist also performs other tasks to support the Research & Development Team and other staff, including, but not limited to designing and overseeing material alteration trials and re-evaluation, conducting tests on products and raw materials to ensure that safety and quality standards are met and analyzing, summarizing, and communicating scientific data/research findings to the R&D, Commercial, and Leadership teams. KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS/ABILITIES : The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate core competencies in the following areas: Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple initiatives simultaneously Ability to collaborate and build strong working relationships with others, especially using digital, phone, and video technologies Ability to work independently, learn new skills quickly, and take initiative Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment and assume personal ownership of research activities and outcomes Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including mastery of correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax and tone Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form Strong mathematic and scientific skills including the use of statistics, formulas, charts, and tables Knowledge of methods, testing, and equipment needed for metals/minerals and ceramics specifically MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Day-1 Expert-level proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word) Master of Science degree in Material Science (metal, ceramics) from an accredited university or college Functional working knowledge of finding and writing research grants Will be subject to occasional travel (up to 25%) for research projects Located in State College, PA or St. Petersburg, FL Background checks (criminal/education/employment/reference/credit/DMV) will be performed; results must be satisfactory to the company. Also requires a valid driver''s license, registered and insured vehicle, and the ability to drive to and from prospective and current accounts or other business engagements, as needed. If hired, must adhere to all company policies and procedures and other prescribed best practices/industry standards DESIRED EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (THESE ARE A PLUS!) PhD in Material Science Material Science (metal, ceramics) from an accredited university or college Experience in the mining and metals industry Experience in Geology IP experience PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS Must be able to lift 40-50 lbs (occasionally) (in)Frequent sitting, standing, moving forward/back/side-to-side, and working around laboratory/manufacturing equipment is required; where exposure to electrical currents, vibrations, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, chemicals, oils, sealants, solvents, and other compounds is possible Must be able to walk on uneven surfaces (manufacturing and mining settings) TO APPLY: Tell us why you are interested in this position and your desired salary in the cover letter section of this posting. Include your resume, answer a few questions, then click submit. Its that easy to apply right now! This is an IMMEDIATE opportunity, BUT we are looking for an awesome new team member, so the position will remain open until filled. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. This company does not sponsor applicants for work visas. This position is a remote work opportunity. Candidates should be prepared to provide writing samples and examples of previous work. The Company reserves the right to alter, change, modify and/or terminate this job posting at any time without notice, or obligation. No recruiters, please; principal applicants only. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The job is primarily performed indoors in a traditional office setting; The employee is constantly required to talk, hear, stand, or sit for extended periods of time while using a computer, telephone or other productivity devices to communicate with other personnel and conduct business. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently, uses hands to: finger, handle, feel or operate objects and computer keyboards. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch or crawl, squat, turn/twist, and smell. The employee must frequently lift, carry, push or pull up to 10 pounds and/or occasionally lift, carry, push or pull up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.Equally important, this job also requires the incumbent to be physically present in a laboratory/manufacturing setting on an as needed basis to communicate with other personnel and to conduct business; this is a light industrial work environment that is heated and cooled; the noise level in the work environment is (e.g. occasionally loud). (in)Frequent sitting, standing, moving forward/back/side-to-side, and working around laboratory equipment is required; where exposure to electrical currents, vibrations, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, chemicals, oils, sealants, solvents, and other compounds is possible; exposure to extreme temperatures and/or work space restrictions is also possible. In certain work spaces, employees are required to wear the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which may include eye, hearing and respiratory protection, protective smock, or face shields. Contact lenses may not be allowed in some areas in or around confined spaces with some exposure to chemicals, grease, and oils, fumes and/or other compounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to use their arms and legs and move their whole body to sit, limb, lift, balance, walk, stoop, maneuver and move materials/objects weighing up to 40-50 pounds. Must be able to stand for prolonged periods and walk on uneven surfaces. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, the ability to identify deviations and differences from an established tolerance or standard and adjust focus between objects, materials, colors, and textures. Phospholutions, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [Click Here to Email Your Resumé] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Powered by JazzHR

Created: 2025-11-01