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Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer Jobs in California

... engineering, or a related discipline * 3+ years of hands-on experience with polymer encapsulants, adhesives, or barrier films for sensitive optoelectronic or electronic devices (graduate research ...

This role is designed for a recent graduate or early-career builder who is equally energized by ... Internships, co-ops, student ventures, research projects, freelance work, and substantial portfolio ...

This role is designed for a recent graduate or early‑career builder who is equally energized by ... Internships, co‑ops, student ventures, research projects, freelance work, and substantial ...

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This role is designed for a recent graduate or early-career builder who is equally energized by ... Internships, co-ops, student ventures, research projects, freelance work, and substantial portfolio ...

Process Engineering Intern: Contributed to the startup activities of a new chemical process ... Engaged in the development of Evonik's Eudragit aqueous dispersion polymer coatings, which are used ...

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Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer information

What is the difference between Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer vs Entry-Level Polymer Scientist?

AspectFreelance Graduate Polymer EngineerEntry-Level Polymer Scientist
CredentialsDegree in Polymer Engineering or related fieldDegree in Chemistry, Materials Science, or Polymer Science
Work EnvironmentIndependent, project-based, remote or on-siteLaboratory, research facilities, or industry settings
Employer & Industry UsageFreelance/contract roles in manufacturing, R&D, consultingFull-time positions in research labs, companies, academia

Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineers typically work independently on specific projects, often remotely, utilizing their engineering skills. Entry-Level Polymer Scientists usually work within organizations in laboratory or research environments. The main difference lies in the work setting and employment type, with freelancers offering flexible services and scientists working as part of a team in structured roles.

What are the most commonly searched types of Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs in California?

For Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Freelance Graduate Polymer Engineer job openings:

Polymer Chemist - Space Solar

Hawthorne, CA • On-site

Starpath
1 - 10 employees

$125K - $200K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Re-posted 2 days ago


Job description

Polymer Chemist - Space Solar
Position Details
Location: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CA
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Starlight Solar
Travel: Occasional
About Starpath
Starpath develops and manufactures the technologies that will enable humans to live on the Moon and Mars. Today, we are building robotic systems that locally produce the essential commodities a lunar civilization will require at extreme scale: water, power, and oxygen. Our ultimate goal is to build and operate a self-sustaining city on Mars.
The Role
The Starlight team is focused on dramatically improving space solar power to support Starpath's core mission and the greater space economy. Starlight manufactures the lowest cost and highest performance space solar ever, which will power the majority of new satellites built on Earth and all of Starpath's equipment on the Moon and Mars.
As a Polymer Chemist on the Starlight team, you will own the polymer materials, encapsulation systems, and barrier chemistries that protect our perovskite solar cells from the space environment. You'll drive the formulation, qualification, and integration decisions that determine how well our arrays survive moisture, oxygen, thermal cycling, UV, and radiation across years on orbit - while staying compatible with the underlying perovskite chemistry.
Responsibilities
  • Develop, formulate, and qualify polymer encapsulants, edge seals, barrier films, and adhesives for perovskite solar hardware
  • Engineer moisture and oxygen barrier systems with ultra-low water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) and oxygen transmission rate (OTR) to protect perovskite cells
  • Develop low-temperature curing and lamination processes compatible with perovskite-cell processing constraints
  • Drive root-cause investigations on bonding, outgassing, delamination, and ingress-driven degradation across manufacturing and qualification testing
  • Characterize polymer materials and bonded joints using techniques such as FTIR, DSC, TGA, WVTR/OTR, and lap shear/peel testing
  • Evaluate polymer and encapsulation performance under space environments - vacuum outgassing (ASTM E595), thermal cycling, UV, atomic oxygen, and ionizing radiation
  • Translate bench chemistry into stable, high-yield production processes in partnership with cell, panel, and manufacturing engineering
  • Push back on unnecessary complexity - simplify chemistries, reduce cure times, and cut overhead wherever it doesn't add value

Required Qualifications
  • Master's or PhD in polymer chemistry, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related discipline
  • 3+ years of hands-on experience with polymer encapsulants, adhesives, or barrier films for sensitive optoelectronic or electronic devices (graduate research applicable)
  • Demonstrated ability to connect polymer chemistry and processing to device-level reliability outcomes

Preferred Qualifications
  • PhD in a relevant discipline with a focus on encapsulation, barrier materials, or polymer chemistry for optoelectronic devices
  • Direct experience formulating or qualifying encapsulation systems for moisture- and oxygen-sensitive devices (perovskite PV, OLED, OPV, or flexible electronics)
  • Hands-on experience with ultra-low WVTR/OTR barrier materials, including multilayer and inorganic-organic hybrid barrier stacks
  • Familiarity with low-temperature cure systems - UV, moisture cure, low-temperature thermal - compatible with perovskite processing constraints
  • Experience with surface preparation, adhesion science, and bond strength testing
  • Knowledge of space-grade material requirements - low outgassing (ASTM E595), UV stability, atomic oxygen resistance, and radiation tolerance
  • Experience scaling polymer processes from bench to high-rate production
  • Exposure to aerospace, space, or other high-reliability hardware environments

Compensation & Benefits
  • Location: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CA
  • Competitive salary plus equity package; compensation scales with candidate experience
  • PTO & health/dental/vision coverage included

EAR REQUIREMENTS:
  • To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity
Starpath is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.