Material Characterization Scientist

Entegris is currently seeking a Polymer Characterization Scientist, CMP Pad to join our Materials Solutions Division R&D team. This position will be based at our Aurora (Greater Chicago Area) facility.  

In this role, you will develop and advance fundamental understanding of the mechanical and rheological behavior of polymer systems used in CMP pad materials. You will lead the development of metrology capabilities and analytical frameworks that enable deep insight into structure–property relationships, supporting improved product design, consistency, and performance.  

What You’ll Do 

Metrology & Method Development:  

• Develop, optimize, and standardize mechanical testing methods (e.g., DMA, stress–strain, creep, oscillatory rheology) for CMP pad materials across development and manufacturing environments 

• Establish rheological characterization protocols (e.g., cure kinetics, viscoelastic behavior, frequency/temperature sweeps) to understand polymer network formation and processing sensitivity 

• Define and implement measurement best practices, calibration methods, and inter-lab correlation to ensure data consistency and reproducibility 

Establish Structure–Property–Performance Relationship: 

• Correlate mechanical and rheological properties to CMP performance metrics 

• Build property-performance models to enable material design targets and process control windows 

• Support root-cause investigations for yield, consistency, and customer performance issues using quantitative metrology data 

Data & Modeling: 

• Working with scientists and engineers in product design and production to design and execute DOE-based studies to isolate key variables affecting mechanical properties 

• Develop data analysis workflows and predictive models; Establish databases and visualization tools to enable data-driven decision making across teams 

Cross-functional and External Collaboration: 

• Partner with formulation scientists, process engineers, and application teams to translate metrology insights into actionable products and process improvements guidance 

• Work with manufacturing teams to transfer lab-scale metrology into production-relevant measurements 

• Collaborate with instrument vendors and external partners to evaluate and deploy new characterization capabilities 

Communication & Technical Leadership 

• Document and communicate findings through technical reports, standards, and presentations to internal and external stakeholders 

• Contribute to metrology strategy and roadmap, identifying gaps and future capability needs 

• Mentor team members on best practices in mechanical testing, rheology, and data interpretation 

What We Seek 

• PhD in Polymer Science, Materials Science or related field required 

• 3+ years of post-graduate industry experience in polymer structural characterization, mechanical testing and rheology; Successful developed test methods, measurement systems, or analytical approaches 

• Hands-on experience with characterization techniques such as thermal-mechanical testing, rheometer, tensile and fatigue testing, and compression and flexural testing with demonstrated ability to design and troubleshoot experiments 

• Strong understanding of polymer mechanical and viscoelastic behavior, including structure–property relationships and the impact of network formation, crosslinking, and formulation on material performance 

• Practical experience in Design of Experiments (DOE), data analysis, and problem solving 

• Experience with thermoset, thermoplastic, elastomeric, or filled polymer systems is preferred 

• Knowledge of CMP or semiconductor processes is a plus, but not required 

• Self-motivated, collaborative, and able to operate effectively in a cross-functional, fast-paced environment 

• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical findings into practical recommendations