Principal Scientist/Senior Principal Scientist, Program Lead for Accelerated Materials Innovation (IMRE) Full-time

Principal Scientist/Senior Principal Scientist, Program Lead for Accelerated Materials Innovation (IMRE)

IMRE is seeking an exceptional and experienced leader to drive our initiatives in self-driving experiments for accelerated materials innovation. This pivotal role is for a visionary individual with a strong track record in building and deploying high-throughput, AI-driven experimental platforms across multiple materials classes. You will be instrumental in establishing an ecosystem-level initiative for materials innovation, fostering industry adoption, and propelling Singapore to the forefront of materials innovation.

The Challenge & The Vision: The “Compressed 21st Century” demands that we accelerate the development of new materials for sustainability, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and other critical technologies. IMRE is committed to creating a future where AI and automation conduct scientific experiments at a level beyond human intelligence, compressing decades of progress into months. We are seeking to find a strong technical leader who can turn this vision into reality.

Key Responsibilities:

• Platform Leadership: Spearhead the design, development, and implementation of cutting-edge automated experimental platforms for materials synthesis, characterization, and testing.
• Accelerated Discovery: Drive the integration of AI, machine learning, and computational materials science with experimental workflows to accelerate the discovery and optimization of novel materials across diverse classes (e.g., polymers, ceramics, metals, composites).
• Industry Adoption & Impact: Cultivate strong partnerships with industry leaders to ensure the successful adoption and commercialization of new materials and automated discovery platforms. Demonstrate clear pathways for industrial translation and economic impact.
• Team & Capability Building: Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of scientists and engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
• Ecosystem Development: Play a crucial role in building and expanding a national-level ecosystem for automated materials development, collaborating with universities, research institutes, and government agencies.
• Strategic Direction: Contribute to IMRE's strategic roadmap for materials innovation, identifying emerging trends and shaping future research priorities.

We are Looking For:

• Proven Leadership: A Ph.D. in Materials Science, Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline, with substantial experience in a leadership role within a leading university, research institution or industry setting.
• Platform Builder: Demonstrated strong track record in successfully building, deploying, and managing automated experimental platforms (e.g., high-throughput synthesis robots, autonomous labs) for materials research.
• Industry Acumen: Extensive experience in driving industry adoption of new materials or technological platforms, with a strong understanding of commercialization pathways and intellectual property management.
• Multi-Material Expertise: Experience with a wide range of materials classes and experimental techniques.
• AI/ML Integration: Deep understanding and practical experience in integrating AI, machine learning, and data science methodologies into experimental workflows for accelerated discovery.
• Collaboration Champion: Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to foster national and international collaborations.
• Visionary: A forward-thinker with a passion for materials innovation and a commitment to making a tangible impact on scientific progress and economic growth.

Why IMRE? At IMRE, you will have the unique opportunity to work with world-class talent and state-of-the-art facilities. You will be empowered to lead transformative projects that address global challenges and contribute to Singapore's position as a hub for advanced manufacturing and deep technology. Your work will directly shape the future of materials discovery and have a profound impact on industries and society.