Senior Materials Scientist Engineer - Organic & Polymer Chemistry

About our group:

The Materials Science Lab (MSL) in Longmont is a center of excellence for materials and chemical analysis and serves as a key resource for materials-related challenges supporting the Longmont Design Center. The team partners closely with Product Design Engineering, Head Disc Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality Engineering, and the global Materials Science community to investigate complex materials issues, provide analytical insight, and develop solutions that support product reliability and performance. 

The laboratory hosts a wide range of advanced analytical capabilities, including gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and surface analytical techniques. Team members are expected to combine strong scientific expertise with hands-on laboratory execution to solve real-world engineering problems. 

This position is intended for a scientist or engineer who enjoys hands-on laboratory work and taking ownership of analytical investigations from start to finish. Successful candidates will be comfortable working directly with samples and instrumentation, performing troubleshooting and maintenance activities, and translating analytical results into actionable engineering recommendations 

About the role - you will:

• Take ownership of assigned work from sample receipt through data analysis and reporting, while partnering with senior technical staff, engineering teams, manufacturing partners, suppliers, and the global Materials Science community on more complex or ambiguous issues
• Contribute to analytical investigations that support product development, qualification, reliability studies, and engineering problem-solving.
• Perform hands-on laboratory work including sample preparation, extraction, chromatography, spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and data interpretation. 

• Maintain high standards for laboratory practices, including contamination control, cleanliness verification, and experimental quality. 

• Troubleshoot analytical instrumentation and perform routine maintenance and vendor-authorized repairs. 

• Collaborate with engineers, reliability teams, manufacturing partners, and suppliers to solve challenging materials-related problems. 

• Execute established analytical methods and laboratory procedures to generate high-quality, reliable data that supports engineering decisions, while identifying and communicating potential process or method improvements to senior technical staff for evaluation.
• Communicate technical findings through written reports and presentations. 

• Contribute technical expertise that strengthens the capability and impact of the Longmont and global Materials Science Lab community. 

About you:

You enjoy hands-on laboratory work, analytical problem-solving, and turning data into practical engineering insight. You are comfortable preparing samples, operating and troubleshooting instrumentation, interpreting data, documenting results, and communicating conclusions to technical stakeholders. You work well independently on assigned investigations and collaborate effectively when issues require input from cross-functional partners. A strong foundation in organic chemistry and/or polymer chemistry. 

• A strong foundation in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials science, or a related discipline.
• Practical, hands-on laboratory skills and careful attention to detail.
• Sound scientific judgement when evaluating analytical data and troubleshooting test results.
• Curiosity and persistence when investigating complex or uncertain materials questions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work independently on assigned tasks while contributing effectively within a collaborative global team.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• A continuous-improvement mindset and willingness to learn new analytical methods, tools, and workflows. 

Your experience includes:

• Prior experience in Industrial, commercial, or applied research in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials science, or related disciplines. 

• Hands-on experience with analytical techniques used for characterization of organic materials, particularly experience with gas chromatography (GCMS) and related analytical techniques such as GC-MS including but not limited to Thermal Desorption, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, DSC, etc.

• Experience interpreting analytical data using ChemStation or equivalent, Wiley or NIST libraries or equivalent, and communicating technical findings.
• MS suite, JMP or related statistical software, and NIST libraries or equivalent

• Experience writing technical reports and presenting results to engineering or scientific audiences. 

• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and execute laboratory investigations. 
• MS suite, JMP or related software NIST libraries or equivalent

• Bachelor’s degree in Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field with 5+ years of related experience, or Master’s degree with 3+ years of related experience, or PhD without prior commercial experience, or equivalent education and experience. 

You might also have:  

• Experience characterizing polymers, additives, adhesives, lubricants, coatings, or other engineered organic materials.
• Experience with contamination analysis, failure analysis, product reliability investigations, or material qualification activities.
• Experience troubleshooting and maintaining laboratory instrumentation.
• Experience supporting analytical method development, method improvement, or procedure documentation.
• Knowledge of statistical analysis and data analysis tools.
• Interest in applying AI and digital tools to improve scientific workflows, documentation, or data interpretation.

Location:

Our Longmont product-design campus is nestled against the foothills with exceptional views of the Rocky Mountains. Here at work, you can grab breakfast and lunch in the on-site cafeteria or get an afternoon espresso, prepared by a professional barista. Our 1,500+ employees enjoy an active on-site experience from sporting activities (get in a few laps at lunch on our 1-mile walking path around campus, play ping-pong or volleyball, or stop in our 24- hour fitness center for a group or individual workout) to community service and many employee resource groups including Pride! Women’s Leadership Network and a Young Professionals Network.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $94,140.00 - $134,625.00. The individual salary is based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Seagate offers comprehensive benefits to its eligible employees, including, but not limited to, , eligibility to participate in discretionary bonus program, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-and long-term disability, 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, health savings account, dependent care, and healthcare spending accounts. Seagate also offers paid time off, including 12 holidays, flexible time off provided pursuant to Seagate policy, a minimum of 48 hours of paid sick leave, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave. The benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year and may differ depending on work location.

Location: Longmont, United States
Travel: Up to 10%