Scientist / Engineer - Research & Development

Kelly is hiring for a Scientist / Engineer - Research & Development for a 12-month contract role at 455 FOREST ST, Marlborough, MA 01752 with our prestigious client.

Job Title: Scientist / Engineer - Research & Development

Primary Location: Marlborough, MA 01752

12-month contract - Onsite role

Shift: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Pay rate: $30 - 34.28/hr.

Qualifications:

• B.S. or M.Sc. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline. ***No Ph.D.***

• Hands-on experience in organic and/or polymer synthesis (academic or industrial), including solution handling, reaction setup, and basic purification techniques.

• Hands-on experience with analytical tools such as GPC, NMR and at least one of HPLC or UPLC or clear familiarity and demonstrated ability to learn these tools quickly.

• Comfort working in a wet chemistry lab, including safe handling of chemicals, solvents, and lab equipment.

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to follow procedures with high repeatability.

• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, communicate clearly in English (written and verbal), and manage multiple tasks under guidance from senior staff.

Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities

Polymer & Organic Synthesis

• Perform hands-on polymer and/or organic synthesis of monomers, oligomers, and polymers at lab scale (typically 100 mL–20 L), following established procedures and safety protocols.

• Support development and optimization of synthetic routes, including reaction setup, monitoring, work-up, purification, and yield/quality assessment. Prepare and handle reagents, solutions, and formulations used in electronics applications.

• Cover the full scope of the workstream including raw materials ordering, logistics, shipping, lab housekeeping and documentation.

Analytical Characterization

• Operate and maintain key analytical instruments such as GPC, HPLC, UPLC, NMR and related chromatography tools; perform routine calibrations and basic troubleshooting.

• Perform additional testing and characterization as needed (e.g., GC, UV-Vis, FT-IR, basic thermal analysis, titrations, % solids, viscosity) to support material qualification and process development.

• Analyze data, summarize results in a clear and organized format, and communicate findings to project leaders in a timely manner.

Lab Operations, Documentation & Safety

• Follow written procedures, batch records, and test methods with a high degree of repeatability, accuracy, and attention to detail.

• Document experimental plans, raw data, and conclusions in electronic lab notebooks and technical reports; contribute to new method write-ups and method validation.

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment; strictly adhere to EHS rules for handling chemicals and operating laboratory equipment.

Collaboration & Future Cleanroom/Fab Work (Secondary / Growth Area)

• Work closely with R&D chemists, engineers, and analytical colleagues to support project goals and timelines, including sample preparation and testing campaigns.

• Over time, and as business needs allow, cross-train in other workstreams as needed to support the team and organization growth such as filtration, formulation, Dry lab and Fab work, etc.

• Participate in regular team meetings, share results, and provide input on experimental design and next steps.

If you feel this role interests you, feel free to apply or refer someone who would be a good fit.