Senior Scientist

Senior Scientist - Coating \& Formuation

About Us

AirJoule, LLC - a joint venture between GE Vernova and AirJoule Technologies Corporation - develops next-generation sorption technology that harvests pure water from air and delivers high-efficiency dehumidification and cooling using low-grade waste heat to address global water scarcity and energy demand. Our R\&D team is focused on bringing advanced sorbent-coated systems from concept through commercialization.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Scientist - Coating and Formulation to serve as a technical leader for the development, optimization, characterization, and scale-up of advanced waterborne coating formulations for aluminum substrates and sorbent-coated components. This role is intended for a mid-to-senior scientist with strong industrial formulation experience who can independently lead projects, solve complex coating and process problems, mentor junior team members, and support technology transfer from bench-scale development to pilot-line and early production readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership \& Formulation Strategy

• Lead formulation strategy for waterborne sorbent coatings, including polymer binder selection, sorbent dispersion, rheology control, functional additives, and film-formation behavior.
• Define formulation design principles and structure-property targets that link composition, process conditions, and final coating performance.
• Independently plan and execute complex formulation programs, including risk assessment, experimental prioritization, and technical decision-making.
• Translate product and system performance needs into practical coating formulation requirements and measurable success criteria.

Coating Development, Application \& Scale-Up

• Lead coating trials using dip, flow, spray, and other industrially relevant application methods for aluminum substrates and contactor components.
• Develop and optimize critical process parameters, including solids content, viscosity, pH, slurry stability, coating thickness, areal loading, drying profile, cure conditions, defect control, and final part quality.
• Diagnose and resolve coating defects such as non-uniformity, cracking, poor adhesion, salt migration, delamination, pinholes, poor wetting, and loss of sorption performance.
• Drive lab-to-pilot-line scale-up by converting bench procedures into repeatable, documented, and manufacturable processes.
• Support process control plans, operating windows, and quality checkpoints for pilot-line and early production implementation.

Characterization, Testing \& Performance Validation

• Design and interpret characterization packages using rheology, SEM/EDS, XRD, FTIR, Raman, TGA, DSC, DVS, contact angle, microscopy, adhesion testing, and related analytical methods.
• Lead humidity cycling, thermal aging, accelerated durability, adhesion, cohesion, and environmental exposure studies to validate coating robustness.
• Use DOE, statistical analysis, root-cause analysis, and data-driven decision-making to accelerate formulation optimization and failure-mode understanding.
• Develop technical data packages that connect material properties, coating morphology, process conditions, and system-level performance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration \& Technology Transfer

• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, quality, EHS, supply chain, and external suppliers to align coating materials with product, safety, cost, manufacturability, and reliability requirements.
• Provide technical guidance for raw material selection, supplier qualification, specification development, incoming material evaluation, and scale-up readiness.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, development summaries, experimental plans, and presentations for leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Support technology transfer activities, including SOP development, operator training, troubleshooting guides, and pilot-line documentation.

IP, Competitive Benchmarking \& Mentorship

• Contribute to invention disclosures, patent review, FTO awareness, and competitive benchmarking in coating formulation, sorbent composites, and coated contactor technologies.
• Mentor junior scientists, engineers, technicians, and operators in formulation principles, coating process discipline, experimental design, safety, and technical documentation.
• Promote strong safety culture, 5S discipline, equipment care, chemical inventory control, and high-quality laboratory documentation.

Requirements

Required

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, or a related field; M.S. with extensive directly relevant industrial experience may also be considered.
• 5\+ years of industrial R\&D experience in coatings, adhesives, dispersions, polymer formulations, sorbent composites, or related formulation fields.
• Demonstrated hands-on expertise with waterborne systems, including dispersion stability, pH control, rheology, slurry stability, wetting, film formation, drying, and adhesion.
• Experience developing coatings for aluminum or aluminum alloy substrates, including understanding of surface treatment, oxide behavior, and adhesion mechanisms.
• Proven ability to independently lead technical projects, troubleshoot complex formulation/process issues, and deliver practical solutions under development timelines.
• Strong experimental design, data analysis, technical documentation, and communication skills.

Preferred

• 7\+ years of industrial experience in waterborne coatings, functional coatings, sorbent coatings, polymer composites, or related material systems.
• Experience scaling coating formulations from bench to pilot line or production environment.
• Familiarity with ASTM/ISO test standards for adhesion, durability, corrosion, humidity exposure, environmental aging, and coating performance.
• Experience with industrial coating application methods such as dip, flow, spray, E-coat, roll coat, or related high-throughput coating processes.
• Experience with DOE, FMEA, root-cause analysis, process control, quality documentation, and manufacturing readiness activities.
• Exposure to IP development, patent disclosures, competitive benchmarking, and supplier technical evaluation.

Key Competencies

• Deep working knowledge of coating formulation, polymer chemistry, waterborne dispersions, surface science, and substrate-coating interactions.
• Strong technical judgment with the ability to balance performance, manufacturability, cost, safety, and quality requirements.
• Hands-on problem-solving across formulation, slurry preparation, coating application, drying/curing, characterization, and final performance validation.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and communicate complex technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• High ownership, strong organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple programs in a fast-paced R\&D and pilot-line environment.
• Commitment to safety, lab excellence, 5S, equipment care, and disciplined documentation.