Polymer Testing Engineer

Description:

Tangent Materials is seeking a Polymer Testing Engineer to support the characterization, weathering evaluation, and durability assessment of thermoplastic composite materials and products. This role focuses on accelerated and natural weathering programs, thermal cycling, UV exposure, rheological and thermal characterization, degradation and failure analysis, and the development of test methods that correlate laboratory exposure with real-world outdoor service performance. The engineer works closely with R&D, manufacturing, quality, and product development teams to evaluate materials, formulations, and processes, develop testing programs, investigate field and lab failures, and provide technical recommendations based on experimental data.

Requirements:

Roles and Responsibilities

• Design, coordinate, and conduct accelerated weathering programs, including xenon arc, Q-Sun, and thermal cycling exposure, to evaluate the long-term durability of thermoplastic composite materials and products.
• Evaluate appearance and property retention after exposure, including color change (?E), gloss, chalking, surface cracking, and retention of mechanical properties such as flexural and tensile strength and modulus.
• Plan and conduct thermal cycling, freeze-thaw, heat aging, and moisture exposure testing, and evaluate dimensional stability, warpage, CLTE, and interfacial or layer integrity after cycling.
• Perform thermal analysis using DSC (melting, crystallinity, oxidative induction time), TGA (filler/additive content, thermal stability, decomposition behavior), and related techniques.
• Perform rheological characterization, including melt flow index and oscillatory rheometry, to evaluate resin and compound quality, processability, and degradation.
• Conduct microscopy analysis (optical and SEM/EDS) to examine morphology, filler and fiber dispersion, foam cell structure, surface degradation, and fracture surfaces.
• Conduct spectroscopy analysis to identify materials, track oxidative degradation, and evaluate the performance of UV stabilizers, antioxidants, and pigments.
• Evaluate the relationship between formulation (resin, fillers, colorants, stabilizers), processing conditions, and weathering and thermal performance.
• Develop and modify test methods and exposure protocols when existing standards do not adequately represent actual product geometry, climate, or service conditions, and work to correlate accelerated test results with outdoor exposure data.
• Apply relevant ASTM, ISO, and other industry standards while understanding their applicability and limitations for thermoplastic composite materials and products.
• Conduct failure analysis and root-cause investigations of field returns and lab failures using thermal analysis, spectroscopy, microscopy, and mechanical testing.
• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot weathering chambers and analytical instruments; manage sample tracking, exposure schedules, and data records.
• Provide technical support to R&D, manufacturing, quality, and product development teams on material selection, additive packages, processing, durability, and product performance.

Required skills/abilities

• Knowledge of thermoplastic polymers and/or polymer composites.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently investigate material and product performance issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering or science discipline required.

physical requirements

• Ability to work safely in laboratory and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to safely operate weathering chambers, analytical instruments, and mechanical testing equipment.
• Ability to lift and carry materials, specimens, fixtures, or equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand, bend, reach, and perform hands-on laboratory activities as required for sample preparation and testing.