Materials Development Manager

The Role

Boston Materials is seeking a Materials Development Manager to lead the scientists and engineers developing our next generation of Liquid Metal Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs). You will set the technical direction for the materials development roadmap, build and mentor a team of chemists and materials engineers, and own the path from new concept to a material that is qualified with customers and ready to transfer to manufacturing.

This is a player-coach role. You will spend real time in the lab and in the data - interface chemistry, formulation, characterization, and reliability testing - while managing priorities, people, and timelines across multiple programs. You will work closely with our NPI, Advanced Manufacturing, Applications, and Commercial teams to make sure what we develop can be built at scale and solves the thermal problems our customers in AI and datacenter hardware face today.

The ideal candidate combines deep materials expertise with a record of turning research into products and is energized by building a team in a fast-moving startup.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead, hire, and develop a team of chemists, materials engineers, and lab technicians; set clear goals, give regular feedback, and grow individual careers.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership in liquid metal and composite TIM development, including organic/inorganic interface engineering, formulation, and surface chemistry.
• Establish rigorous experimental practices: design of experiments, data management, and standardized characterization and reliability test methods (e.g., thermal impedance, pump-out, thermal cycling, HAST).
• Define and own the TIM materials development roadmap in partnership with company leadership, aligning technical priorities with customer needs and business goals.
• Plan, prioritize, and manage R&D programs, including scope, timelines, resources, and stage-gate decisions.
• Partner with NPI and process engineering to transfer new materials from the lab to pilot and high-volume production, with clear specifications and process windows.
• Work with Applications and Commercial teams to understand customer requirements, support sampling and qualification, and resolve technical issues in the field.
• Build and protect intellectual property by identifying inventions and working with counsel on patent filings.
• Manage lab resources, including equipment purchases, budgets, and outside partners such as universities, test labs, and suppliers.
• Communicate progress, risks, and results to leadership, customers, and partners through clear reports and presentations.
• Champion a culture of safety, scientific rigor, and continuous improvement in the lab.

Your Required Skills and Expertise

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, or an M.S. with equivalent industry experience.
• 8+ years of materials R&D experience, including at least 3 years leading technical teams or programs with direct reports.
• Proven track record of taking new materials from concept through scale-up and customer qualification.
• Deep expertise in at least one relevant area: thermal interface materials, liquid metals and alloys, composites, interfacial or surface chemistry, or electronic packaging materials.
• Strong command of materials characterization methods (e.g., SEM/EDS, XRD, rheology, DSC/TGA, thermal conductivity and impedance measurement) and statistical design of experiments.
• Experience managing R&D roadmaps, budgets, and timelines across multiple concurrent projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to present technical work to executives and customers.

Your Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing materials for the semiconductor, electronics packaging, or datacenter industries.
• Familiarity with reliability standards and qualification practices used by semiconductor and electronics customers (e.g., JEDEC).
• Experience transferring processes from R&D to manufacturing and working within quality systems.
• A record of patents and/or peer-reviewed publications.
• Prior experience in a startup or early-stage company.

Summary of Benefits

• Health, Vision & Dental - Boston Materials pays 75% of Health, Vision and Dental Care coverage for employee and dependents
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• Holidays: 14 days/year