Phd Chemical Engineer Jobs in Silver Spring, MD (NOW HIRING)

About LifeSprout

LifeSprout was founded in September 2015 as a Johns Hopkins University spinout. We are a medical device company creating revolutionary products for aesthetic and reconstructive medicine. Our synthetic biomaterial platform mimics the look and behavior of native tissue and is being developed into a suite of products to restore form and function for millions of patients with soft tissue loss from aging, cancer, and metabolic disease. The company is led by a management team experienced across business, clinical, and scientific disciplines.

Role Summary

The Research and Development Engineer is responsible for planning and executing product and process development activities to support innovation, product performance, and readiness for verification and validation. This role contributes across the development lifecycle, including process development, formulation screening, assay development, troubleshooting and root cause analysis, technical documentation, and preparation and execution of design verification and validation activities. The ideal candidate combines strong experimental skills with structured problem-solving, clear technical communication, and the ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, GMP-regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and conduct experiments, analyze data, and interpret results to guide technical decisions and next steps.
• Plan and execute formulation screening studies to evaluate candidate materials, compositions, and processing conditions.
• Perform process development activities to improve product performance, manufacturability, robustness, and scalability.
• Prepare for and execute design verification and validation activities, including protocol development, test coordination, data analysis, and report generation.
• Develop, optimize, qualify, and document assays and test methods to support research, development, and product characterization.
• Perform troubleshooting and root cause analysis for technical issues arising during development, testing, or manufacturing support activities.
• Prepare clear and accurate technical documentation, including study protocols, reports, experimental records, and summaries of findings.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, and Process Engineering to ensure development activities align with program goals and applicable requirements.
• Maintain development records in accordance with internal procedures, quality system requirements, and good documentation practices.
• Present technical findings, recommendations, and development updates to internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD degree in Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in research and development, product development, formulation development, process development, assay development, or a related technical area.
• Preferred experience working with biomaterials, hydrogels, electrospinning, high-shear mixing, separations, and sterilization processes
• Hands-on experience designing experiments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions to support product or process decisions.
• Knowledge of verification and validation principles, test method development, and structured technical problem-solving.
• Strong technical writing skills, with experience preparing protocols, reports, and development documentation.
• Ability to troubleshoot effectively and apply root cause analysis tools to resolve complex technical issues.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Familiarity with regulated development environments, quality systems, and documentation practices is preferred.

Working conditions and what we offer

• Onsite presence required for laboratory activities with occasional travel (<10%).
• Fast-paced, collaborative environment balancing development and release activities.
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and professional development opportunities.
• Opportunity to shape analytical strategy for an innovative biomaterials platform with clear patient impact.

Eligibility to work in the U.S. is required.