Senior Materials Scientist

Job Description:

Senior Materials Scientist

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As a Senior Materials Scientist, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:

• Developing new materials and the processes that create them to drive differentiated performance in 3M products.

• Applying newly developed materials and processes to 3M product roadmaps and scale qualified materials with 3M’s chemical manufacturing teams.

• Authoring technical reports, patent applications, and research proposals; Maintaining electronic laboratory notebook records of test conditions, results and observations; Summarizing experimental data using Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel or other software applications; Presenting results to technical and non-technical audiences.

• Collaborating with global, multi-disciplinary teams to identify and implement new solutions for customer applications.

• Carrying out other duties as assigned.

Your Skills and Expertise 

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Ph.D. (completed and verified prior to start) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Ceramics, or a related discipline from an accredited institution

• Four (4) years of laboratory environment experience in an academic, private, public, government or military environment, including experience in a Ph.D. program.

• Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Ph.D. or Post-Doc in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Ceramics, or a related discipline (completed and verified prior to start) from an accredited institution with a focus on developing new materials and processes.

• Established research performance in ceramics or related non-metallic materials.

• Experience working with diverse teams including external partners.

• Authoring scientific publications and/or patents.

• Demonstrated ability to identify and execute on new technology development.

• Experience developing intellectual property portfolios in collaboration with legal and other technical experts.

Work location:

This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week at the 3M Center in Maplewood, MN. 

Travel: May include up to 10% [domestic/international]

Relocation Assistance: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Supporting Your Well-being

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.

Resources for You

For more details on what happens before, during and after the interview process, check out the Insights for Candidates page at 3M.com/careers.

Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $124,127 - $151,710, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.
Good Faith Posting Date Range 05/21/2026 To 06/20/2026 Or until filled
All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.
Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.
Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.
Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.
Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/
3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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