What are the responsibilities and job description for the Organic Chemist position at Tripwire South?
About Tripwire South, LLC
Tripwire South, LLC is an advanced technology and R&D; organization supporting defense, aerospace,
and national security missions. We specialize in developing innovative solutions across energetic
materials, sensing, and advanced manufacturing, working closely with government and industry
partners to transition cutting-edge research into operational capability.
Position Summary
Tripwire South, LLC is seeking an experienced Organic Chemist specializing in energetic materials to
support the research, synthesis, formulation, and production of next-generation energetic compounds.
This role focuses on the development of novel high-energy organic molecules, propellants, and
advanced explosive materials with improved stability, performance, and manufacturability. The
successful candidate will contribute across the full R&D; lifecycle—from concept and molecular design
through synthesis, characterization, formulation, scale-up, and testing.
Key Responsibilities
• Design and synthesize organic molecules and functional materials with energetic properties.
• Execute multi-step organic syntheses, purification, and structural verification using modern analytical
techniques.
• Support formulation and evaluation of energetic compositions including propellants, explosives, and
pyrotechnics.
• Evaluate thermal behavior, decomposition pathways, and sensitivity characteristics.
• Maintain strict compliance with laboratory safety requirements for energetic materials.
• Prepare technical reports, synthesis protocols, risk assessments, and data packages.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to transition materials to pilot-scale production.
• Support intellectual property development, trade studies, and R&D; proposal efforts.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and scalable manufacturing strategies.
Required Qualifications
• M.S. or Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Synthetic Chemistry, Energetic Materials Science, or related
discipline.
• Expertise in complex organic synthesis and structure–property relationships.
• Hands-on experience with NMR, FTIR, LC/GC, MS, and thermal analysis tools.• Strong understanding of high-energy functional groups and instability mitigation.
• Ability to safely work with hazardous or sensitive compounds.
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills.
• U.S. citizenship may be required for classified or ITAR-restricted programs.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in energetic materials R&D; within defense or aerospace environments.
• Familiarity with DoD or equivalent energetic material testing standards.
• Experience with computational chemistry tools for energetic property prediction.
• Knowledge of scale-up, reaction calorimetry, and process safety engineering.
• Background in polymer chemistry for binders or insensitive munition formulations.
Work Environment
Work will be conducted in an energetic materials research and test facility. The position involves
handling regulated energetic substances under strict safety oversight. Use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and adherence to established operating procedures is mandatory.