Chemical Engineer (Polymer Coatings)

Location: San Carlos, California, United States; on-site

Salary: $200,000–$248,000 per year, plus equity

Company

hirify.global develops humanoid robots, including NEO, for safe operation in home environments and real-world settings.

What you will do

• Develop novel polymer coating materials for load-bearing composites used in humanoid robots.
• Design experiments and characterize coatings and composites using chemical, thermal, optical, and mechanical analysis.
• Build structure–property–process–performance models connecting polymer chemistry and application parameters to material performance.
• Investigate coating and composite failures and implement chemistry-driven performance improvements.
• Establish laboratory procedures, testing methodologies, and documentation supporting manufacturing readiness and intellectual property development.
• Collaborate with chemistry, materials, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, and systems engineering teams to integrate materials into production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Chemistry, Polymer Science, or a related engineering discipline.
• At least 3 years of experience developing advanced polymer coating materials.
• Hands-on experience with polymer synthesis, formulation chemistry, experimental design, and laboratory safety.
• Experience with DMA, DSC, TGA, FTIR, rheology, mechanical testing, and other material characterization techniques.
• Knowledge of coatings, polymer processing, surface preparation, adhesion, and formulation variables.
• Ability to analyze experimental data, optimize formulations, and communicate technical concepts across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Nice to have

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Polymer Engineering, or a related discipline, or 5 years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience with polyurethane, acrylic, silicone, fluoropolymer, latex-based, or hybrid coating formulations.
• Knowledge of polymer physics, including glass transition, crystallinity, viscoelasticity, damping, toughness, creep, fatigue, and environmental aging.
• Experience scaling laboratory formulations into pilot or high-volume manufacturing and collaborating with suppliers or manufacturing partners.
• Experience with intellectual property development and documentation supporting patent filings.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced research and product development environment focused on translating laboratory discoveries into robotic systems.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Paid time off, company holidays, and parental leave.
• 401(k) plan with company match, plus FSA and HSA options.
• Disability, life insurance, and employee assistance programs.
• On-site snacks, catered lunches, and commuter benefits.