Exponent · 14 hours ago
Principal Scientist
Menlo Park, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff
$225K/yr - $275K/yr
10+ years expExponent is a premium engineering and scientific consulting firm dedicated to solving unique challenges for clients. The Principal Scientist will lead interdisciplinary project teams to investigate and solve complex problems related to polymeric materials, while also cultivating client relationships and contributing to the growth of the Polymers & Chemistry Practice.
Consulting
Responsibilities
Leveraging deep knowledge in polymer science to address a wide range of complex challenges across diverse client sectors, delivering scientifically rigorous and impactful solutions
Identifying, pursuing, and securing new client engagements by understanding emerging needs and building long-term partnerships
Maintaining and growing trusted relationships with existing clients by consistently delivering high-quality work, anticipating future needs, and serving as a strategic advisor
Building, managing, and empowering multidisciplinary teams, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives and scientific integrity
Providing guidance, coaching, and professional development opportunities to technical staff, supporting their growth into future leaders and experts
Ensuring successful project execution through effective planning, resource allocation, and budget management, while maintaining high standards of quality and timeliness
Offering high-level scientific and strategic advice to both internal stakeholders and external clients, contributing to the firm’s thought leadership and client impact
Enhancing the firm’s visibility and credibility by publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at industry conferences, leading seminars, and participating in expert advisory or technical committees
Inspecting, testing and analyzing various polymeric materials to assess their specifications and/or reliability in a variety of applications from a wide range of industries
Performing root cause investigations on failing or underperforming materials/components by scientifically examining the development, manufacturing or end-use environment of products specified for use in the construction, medical device, consumer electronics, and automotive industries
Analyzing information and conveying technical conclusions to individuals in engineering, business, law, and industry, as well as communicating testing rationale in the context of product development, product defect claims, and intellectual property disputes
Qualification
Required
PhD in Polymer Science or Materials Science with a focus on polymer structure-property-end use performance relationships
Minimum of 10 years of consulting experience in the polymer science or materials science space
Proven track record of business generation and attracting new and repeat clients or funding
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make informed recommendations in your scientific field
Outstanding reputation among clients and the scientific community for integrity, responsiveness, and technical expertise
Adept people management abilities coupled with extensive experience in successfully overseeing and executing complex projects
Strong commitment to professional development
This is a revenue-generating role with substantial sales expectations. This position requires achieving annual sales in excess of $1 million. Candidates must demonstrate a proven track record of managing an active client portfolio that consistently generates at least $1 million in annual revenue within industrial sectors or law firms (excluding revenue derived from government funding for academic research projects)
Benefits
Annual bonus
401(k) employer contribution of 7% of base salary
Company
Exponent
With over 90 scientific and engineering disciplines, Exponent’s staff of approximately 900, located in 20 offices throughout the USA
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Exponent has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (17)
2024 (13)
2023 (8)
2022 (12)
2021 (7)
2020 (6)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Cathy Chen
Senior Managing Engineer
Recent News
2025-10-31
2025-10-31
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