Materials Scientist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at NovoLINC Inc

About NovoLINC

NovoLINC is a CMU spinout redefining thermal management for AI data centers and power electronics. Incubated by NSF and ARPA-E, and backed by Venture Capital, we are commercializing a nanostructured thermal interface solution that delivers industry-leading performance. As demand for energy-efficient computing accelerates, we are scaling rapidly to meet the needs of global semiconductor and hyperscaler customers.

Position Overview

NovoLINC is expanding its technical team in materials development and is seeking a self-motivated, detail-oriented Materials Scientist to work onsite and contribute to R&D-driven product development. This role is ideal for candidates with a strong background in materials science, hands-on experience in applied R&D and product development, and a demonstrated problem-solving skill. Reporting directly to the CTO as a member of the R&D team, the Materials Scientist will be responsible for the design and development of materials for existing product lines to meet customer performance and reliability requirements, while also exploring new materials concepts and pathways for next-generation thermal interface solutions.

Key Responsibilities

· Design, fabricate, and optimize materials to meet or exceed customer requirements for thermal performance, reliability, lifetime, and other key material properties.

· Work closely with the CTO and Director of Product Development to design, synthesize, and test new material formulations to optimize existing products and enable next-generation thermal interface solutions.

· Conduct materials characterization and coordinate with thermal engineers to qualify new material formulations and validate performance.

· Coordinate with process engineers to translate R&D results into scalable, production-ready manufacturing processes.

· Work with external suppliers and partners to ensure consistent supply, quality, and specifications of materials and chemical inputs.

· Provide technical leadership in the laboratory to maintain the highest standards of safety, including proper handling of hazardous chemicals and processes and strict adherence to personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.

· Prepare written experimental documentation and technical reports for management, ensuring data is properly collected, archived, and accessible for future reference.

· Contribute to proposal development for non-dilutive funding opportunities.

Qualifications

· PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related materials-focused discipline.

· Proven expertise in polymer composite engineering to formulate and process highly loaded composites, with a strong focus on selecting base polymers and engineering matrix-filler interfaces to achieve targeted functional properties.

· Deep understanding of rheology and phase transitions. Hands-on experience tailoring the viscoelastic behavior of complex mixtures, pastes, or phase-shifting materials.

· Minimum of 5 years of experience driving materials-related product development from concept through formulation and scale-up in an industrial or applied R&D environment.

· Strong hands-on laboratory experience working with solvents, acidic and basic solutions, with a demonstrated commitment to safe laboratory practices and EHS compliance.

· Ability to work 100% onsite at NovoLINC’s laboratory in Harmar, PA (15238).

· Proven technical and non-technical communication skills, with the ability to clearly present results through written reports and verbal discussions.

Why Join NovoLINC

This is a rare opportunity to lead commercialization for a materials breakthrough poised to define the thermal backbone of next-gen AI infrastructure. If you're energized by building new markets, working directly with C-suite customers, and scaling high-impact technologies, we’d love to talk.