Materials Science Domain Expert

3. Core Qualifications

• Education: PhD in materials science, materials engineering, or a closely related discipline such as chemistry, chemical engineering, applied physics, or metallurgy. A master's degree with exceptional industrial depth may be considered.
• Experience: 4+ years of substantive research or industrial R&D experience in materials, at a research university, a national laboratory, or an industrial research organization. Graduate coursework alone does not count.
• Domain depth: Genuine specialization in at least one area, for example energy storage and battery materials, semiconductors and electronic materials, polymers and soft matter, structural alloys and metallurgy, characterization and microscopy, or computational materials and simulation.
• Seniority: Clear progression to a senior level, for example Senior Scientist, Staff Scientist, Research Lead, Principal Investigator, or a senior industrial R&D role, with real ownership of research direction.
• Research record: Peer-reviewed publications, granted patents, or shipped materials programs. Strongly preferred.
• AI fluency: Hands-on working use of large language models in your professional work, and the judgment to tell a well-reasoned answer from a plausible-sounding wrong one.
• Availability: Able to commit reliably to 40 hours per week for an initial engagement of 6 months.
• Location: Living in the Bay Area, California, and able to work on-site with the client's team multiple days each week, when required. Candidates not currently based in the Bay Area must be willing to relocate there at their own cost. Relocation assistance is not provided.
• Excellent written communication, and the ability to give precise, well-structured written feedback.

About Cincinnatus LLC

Cincinnatus LLC is an enterprise staffing company that partners with leading technology companies to source and employ highly skilled professionals for contingent and contract-based opportunities. Cincinnatus serves as the employer of record for these engagements, providing W-2 employment, payroll, benefits, and compliance, while placing employees directly within client teams to work on high-impact initiatives.

Roles hired through Cincinnatus are not project-based or freelance engagements. They are structured, role-based positions that typically involve part-time or full-time commitments, close collaboration with a client's internal teams, and integration into standard enterprise workflows.

Cincinnatus is a legal entity separate from Mercor. While opportunities may be discovered through Mercor's platform, employment, onboarding, payroll, and benefits for these roles are administered by Cincinnatus LLC.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cincinnatus is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Cincinnatus is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans throughout the job application process.

Description from Mercor. Full details and the application are on Mercor's site.