Associate Investigator

About the Role

Qnity is seeking an Associate Investigator - Electroplating Applications Technology. This role is critical in developing, evaluating, and optimizing electroplating processes and metallization products for advanced electronics markets. The position involves hands-on laboratory work, process development, troubleshooting, analytical testing, and cross-functional collaboration to enhance plating performance, consistency, and product quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare, maintain, analyze, and optimize electroplating baths and chemical solutions.
• Operate and maintain pilot-scale electroplating equipment, including tanks, rectifiers, pumps, filtration systems, heating systems, and agitation equipment.
• Plan and execute laboratory experiments, plating trials, and process evaluations to support product development and customer applications.
• Monitor coating performance through thickness, adhesion, appearance, and other surface-characterization testing methods.
• Analyze bath chemistry and process data, identify root causes of performance issues, and recommend corrective actions.
• Calibrate, maintain, and utilize laboratory instrumentation to support testing and process control activities.
• Document experimental procedures, results, observations, and conclusions in laboratory notebooks and digital systems.
• Collaborate with R&D, Applications Engineering, Sales, and Technical Service teams to develop new plating processes and support customer needs.
• Assist in troubleshooting customer plating challenges and evaluating process improvement opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, environmental, chemical handling, and waste-management requirements.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Prior experience in electroplating, surface finishing, metallization, or surface characterization within a laboratory, pilot-scale, manufacturing, or technical service environment.
• Experience preparing plating solutions, maintaining bath chemistry, operating plating equipment, and resolving plating defects.
• Working knowledge of electrochemical principles and common plating systems, including nickel, copper, silver, and tin.
• Ability to safely handle wet chemistries while following laboratory safety and chemical hygiene protocols.
• Strong experimental planning, data analysis, technical documentation, and communication skills.
• Proven problem-solving ability and capability to work independently as well as within cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with multiple electroplating chemistries or surface-finishing technologies.
• Experience supporting production-scale or pilot-scale plating operations.
• Hands-on experience with XRF, SEM, XRD, spectroscopy, microscopy, wet chemical analysis, or related characterization techniques.
• Knowledge of coating thickness, adhesion, corrosion, and surface-performance testing methods.
• Familiarity with ASTM and ISO standards, statistical process control (SPC), and quality systems.
• Experience with corrosion science, surface science, formulation development, or Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Lean Six Sigma certification or training.

This position is 100% onsite and located in Marlborough, MA.