Material Scientist Polyolefin Composites (Washington)

Job Title : Material Scientist Polyolefin Composites

Department : Material Science & Engineering

Location : Washington, IA

Reports to : Director of Material Science & Engineering

Job Type : Full-time

Job Summary

The Material scientist is responsible for leading the design, development, testing, and optimization of polymer composite formulations for roofing and paving products within Bravas business. The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams in R&D, manufacturing, and quality to ensure robust, high-performing, and cost-effective products. This position reports directly to the director of Material Science and Engineering and supports innovation, new product development, raw material qualification, manufacturing troubleshooting, and continuous improvement initiatives to drive product performance, cost efficiency, and business continuity.

At Brava, sustainability is a core part of our innovation strategy, we are committed to increasing the use of recycled content in our products without compromising performance, and we seek talented individuals who share our vision of building a more sustainable future through materials science.

Key Responsibilities

Formulation & Product Development

• Develop and refine polymer composite formulations using Poly ethylene, poly propylene and recycled content to meet performance, cost, and sustainability goals.
• Evaluate new and alternative raw materials, focusing on consistency, processability, and mechanical performance.
• Design and execute experiments using DOE to study the impact of formulation changes and raw material variability.
• Translate product requirements and customer needs into technical specifications and material formulations.
• Support manufacturing trials for new or updated formulations from lab scale to full production.
• Experience with compounding, extrusion, compression or injection molding, and quality control testing (e.g., MFI, DSC, FTIR, mechanical testing).

Material Characterization & Product Stewardship

Cross-functional Support & Documentation

Qualifications

Preferred Skills

Physical Requirements