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Postdoctoral Polymer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Kodiak Sciences Inc.

Polymer Chemist

Palo Alto, CA

... postdoc experience is preferred * Hands-on experience in large-scale batch synthesis or scale-up ... Prior polymer and materials characterization experience in SEC/GPC, NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, MALDI-ToF ...

Kodiak Sciences Inc.

Polymer Chemist

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

... postdoc experience is preferred * Hands-on experience in large-scale batch synthesis or scale-up ... Prior polymer and materials characterization experience in SEC/GPC, NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, MALDI-ToF ...

Kodiak Sciences Inc

Polymer Chemist

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

... postdoc experience is preferred * Hands-on experience in large-scale batch synthesis or scale-up ... Prior polymer and materials characterization experience in SEC/GPC, NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, MALDI-ToF ...

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Postdoctoral Polymer information

See California salary details

$24.7K

$58.2K

$82.4K

How much do postdoctoral polymer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for postdoctoral polymer in California is $58,249.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $48,400.00 and $65,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a postdoctoral polymer?

A Postdoctoral Polymer job is a temporary research position for scientists who have recently earned a Ph.D. in polymer science, chemistry, materials science, or a related field. These researchers work on advanced polymer-related projects, often in academia, industry, or government labs. Responsibilities include conducting experiments, publishing research, and collaborating with experts to develop new polymer materials or improve existing ones. The role helps scientists gain specialized expertise and prepare for permanent research or academic positions.

What types of projects and collaborations can a postdoctoral polymer expect during their appointment?

Postdoctoral Polymer researchers often work on multidisciplinary projects that may involve developing new materials, optimizing existing polymer processes, or advancing application-specific polymers for industries such as healthcare, electronics, or energy. Collaborations are common and may include working with faculty, graduate students, industrial partners, or cross-functional research teams. Typical responsibilities can include designing experiments, publishing research findings, presenting at conferences, and occasionally mentoring junior researchers. These opportunities provide valuable experience in project management and scientific communication while helping you expand your professional network for future career growth.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the postdoctoral polymer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Postdoctoral Polymer, you need an advanced degree (Ph.D.) in polymer science or a related field, with strong research skills in polymer synthesis, characterization, and analysis. Familiarity with tools such as NMR, FTIR, GPC, and DSC, as well as data analysis software and safety protocols, is typically required. Excellent problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and the capability to work both independently and collaboratively are valuable soft skills. These competencies enable impactful scientific discoveries, efficient teamwork, and advancement in highly technical research environments.

What are popular job titles related to Postdoctoral Polymer jobs in California?

For Postdoctoral Polymer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Postdoctoral Polymer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Postdoctoral Polymer jobs in California are:

Postdoctoral Polymer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Postdoctoral Polymer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, and 14% Part Time. Highlights an 81% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $58,249 per year, or $28 per hour.

Polymer Chemist

Palo Alto, CA

Kodiak Sciences Inc.
Biotechnology Research and Development • 11 - 50 employees
Learn more about Kodiak Sciences Inc.external

Full-time

Re-posted 9 days ago

Job description

Kodiak Sciences is a fast-growing clinical-stage biotechnology company with a strong focus in ophthalmology. Our Antibody Biopolymer Conjugate Drug (ABCD) platform merges the fields of protein engineering, organic chemistry, and polymer chemistry and is at the core of our discovery engine.
 
We are seeking a Polymer Chemist to join our Polymer Sciences Team, Department of Chemistry. The ideal candidate will be passionate and focused on developing new technologies that challenge the current boundaries. The candidate will use a combination of highly efficient organic chemistries and modern reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) polymerization techniques to synthesize high-performance functional polymers to support technology development at Kodiak Sciences.
 
This person will join a dynamic, collaborative research environment focused on engineering a new drug delivery platform for ophthalmology applications. The ideal candidate should have hands-on experience in modern RDRP polymerizations and air-free synthesis techniques. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in driving commercial innovation, GLP/GMP, designed experimentation and statistics (e.g., Six-Sigma methodologies) and/or project management tools. The successful candidate is sufficiently versed in organic chemistry techniques, including the design and synthesis of functionalized monomers and polymeric material characterization when needed.
 
Responsibilities
  • Develop and optimize polymerization processes for up to 100g scale functional polymer synthesis.
  • Support tech and process transfer of leading polymeric materials to development and CMC teams.
  • Develop an automated synthesis system for high throughput formulation screening and validation.
  • Design and execute DOEs to establish key polymer structure-property-performance correlations.
  • Maintain an awareness of technical literature and contacts to define new technical approaches, projects and areas of interest. Proactively bring in new technology from external community.
  • Develop analytical techniques to characterize new polymers and polymeric materials by using SEC-MALS, DLS, NMR, viscosity and other relevant techniques.
  • Summarize and report project results regularly with proper documentation and support intellectual property/patent filings.
  • Stakeholder relationship management and internal customer-centric, deliver impactful results and meeting project timelines, and pro-actively provide strategic inputs to R&D roadmap and future-generation product plans.
  • Follow the guidelines for laboratory safety, training procedures and records according to company and industrial standards.
Education/Experience
  • Ph.D. in polymer chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related field
  • Four or more years of relevant experience in biotech/pharma settings, or similar environments, or a relevant postdoc experience is preferred
  • Hands-on experience in large-scale batch synthesis or scale-up using modern RDRP methods.
  • Prior experience working with air- and moisture-sensitive substances using glovebox or Schlenk-techniques is required.
  • Experience with automation in polymer chemistry for high throughput formulation screening and development is a strong plus.
  • Prior polymer and materials characterization experience in SEC/GPC, NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, MALDI-ToF is required; experience in additional thermomechanical property characterizations e.g., DMA, DSC, TGA, and Rheology, and advanced characterization methods including TEM, SEM, SANS, SAXS, is a plus
  • Prior experience with polymer grafting, polymer end-group modification, and/or bioconjugate techniques is highly preferred.
  • Prior experience with GMP/GLP, and other manufacturing quality and project management tools (e.g., Six-Sigma and DFMEA) is highly preferred.
  • Prior experience synthesizing polymers for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery devices, polymer bioconjugates, polymeric hydrogels, nonviral gene therapy, etc. is required.
  • Good learning agility and self-driven. Capable of setting goals, planning, leading, and executing R&D projects is a must, as demonstrated by the ability to de-risk projects and manage course corrections.
  • Safety-conscious and continuously maintaining a safe work environment as a role model lab citizen is a must.
  • Excellent sense for detailed documentation and capture of key procedures, research results, and inventions in support of IP protection and commercial innovation is a must.
  • Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills are required for timeline management and driving projects to success.