Research Scientist - Ceramist
$89.3k - $148.7k+ Discretionary annual bonus
Senior
PhD
Niskayuna, NY, USA
In PersonIn-person office work in Niskayuna, NY; relocation assistance is provided.
Academic & Institutional ResearchPhysical Sciences
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required
About the job
Requirements
- A PhD in Materials Science & Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline is required.
- At least 3 years of experience in advanced ceramics, coatings, high-temperature alloys, computational materials science, or related materials technologies through doctoral research, publications, internships, or other relevant research experience is required.
- The candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance; U.S. citizenship is a prerequisite.
- The candidate must be willing to work out of an office located in Niskayuna, New York.
- Knowledge of ceramic materials, ceramic chemistry, coating architectures, high-temperature alloy systems, and degradation mechanisms in extreme environments is required by the role description.
Responsibilities
- Contribute to early-stage research and applied initiatives in advanced ceramic coating systems, including thermal barrier coatings and related protective coatings such as abradable, low-friction, wear-resistant, anti-corrosion, and environmental barrier coatings.
- Design and optimize coating chemistries, including dopant selection, phase stabilization strategies, and compositional tailoring to enhance thermal stability, sintering resistance, toughness, and resistance to extreme environments.
- Develop novel coating compositions for topcoats and bond coat-compatible systems suitable for extreme turbine operating temperatures.
- Establish microstructure-property-performance relationships for coating systems under cyclic thermal and mechanical loading.
- Evaluate coating degradation mechanisms, including phase transformation, thermally grown oxide evolution, sintering behavior, and environmental attack.
- Collaborate with process engineers to translate coating chemistry into scalable deposition methods, including atmospheric plasma spray, suspension plasma spray, electron-beam physical vapor deposition, high-velocity oxygen fuel, and vacuum plasma spray.
- Support technology development with GE Vernova businesses and research teams to advance future coating technologies and product roadmaps.
- Lead high-temperature testing programs, including thermal cycling, burner rig testing, oxidation testing, and environmental durability assessments.
- Drive innovation through publications, patents, and proposal development for internally and externally funded programs.
- Identify and develop collaborative relationships with academic institutions, national laboratories, industry partners, government agencies, and GE Vernova experts to maximize technical impact.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including materials scientists, mechanical engineers, manufacturing engineers, modelers, and quality specialists.
Desired Qualifications
- Ability to design and modify ceramic coating chemistries.
- Knowledge of phase equilibria, thermodynamics, and high-temperature kinetics of ceramic materials.
- Knowledge of high-temperature alloy design and behavior, including phase stability, oxidation resistance, creep, diffusion, and environmental degradation.
- Knowledge of high-temperature oxidation, corrosion, and environmental degradation mechanisms.
- Experience using integrated computational and experimental approaches for advanced materials development, including CALPHAD, computational thermodynamics, materials informatics, machine learning, finite element modeling, or related tools.
- Ability to bridge computational predictions with experimental validation to establish composition-process-microstructure-property-performance relationships in advanced materials systems.
- Strong background in microstructural characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and in thermal and mechanical property evaluation.
- Practical knowledge of safety practices related to experimental design and laboratory operations.
- Experience working with coating deposition technologies relevant to turbine components.
- Research experience in ceramic coatings, high-temperature materials, thermal barrier coatings, environmental barrier coatings, or related advanced materials systems.
- Experience developing next-generation thermal barrier coating chemistries beyond conventional systems, including understanding of thermodynamics, degradation kinetics, phase stability, and diffusion in high-temperature material systems.
- Familiarity with computational thermodynamics (CALPHAD), Integrated Computational Materials Engineering methodologies, materials modeling, or materials informatics tools for materials design and optimization.
- Demonstrated research accomplishments through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, patents, collaborative research projects, or other scholarly achievements.
- Experience contributing to research proposals, fellowship applications, or externally funded research programs.
- Ability to independently conduct research and communicate technical findings through publications, presentations, and technical reports.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.
About the company
GE Vernova makes equipment and software that generate and manage electricity for utilities, power producers, and industrial customers. Its Power, Wind, and Electrification businesses span gas turbines, wind generation, and the systems that move electricity across grids. The company supplies generators, grid equipment, and controls, while its software coordinates network operations and integrates changing sources of power. Customers buy equipment and enter service agreements for maintenance, upgrades, and technical support over its operating life, alongside purchases of software and related services. GE Vernova became an independent company in 2024 after separating from GE and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
$17.6M
Headquarters
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Founded
2024
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Demand supports expansion: July 2026 results show GE Vernova booked $24.2 billion of quarterly orders, up 88% organically.
- Service commitments support recurring work: GE Vernova says services account for more than 55% of its backlog.
- Graduates build depth through rotations: GE Vernova runs two-year Next Gen development programs in engineering, technology, and operations.
What critics are saying
- Wind remains a drag: July 2026 results show GE Vernova lost $275 million in quarterly Wind segment EBITDA.
- Project margins absorb overruns: GE Vernova locks prices before completion and discloses meaningful expenses from excess costs and penalties.
- Field assignments demand long weeks: GE Vernova's listed transformer specialist works typical 12-hour site days, up to six weekly.
What makes GE Vernova unique
- Its technology underpins global power: GE Vernova says customers generate approximately one-quarter of world electricity using its equipment.
- Gas turbine scale anchors expertise: GE Vernova reports the largest installed fleet by generating capacity, across approximately 7,000 turbines.
- Nuclear work reaches beyond equipment: GE Vernova Hitachi supplies advanced reactors, fuel, and services for operating plants.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- 401(k) Company Match
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Parental Leave
- Mental Health Support
- Relocation Assistance
- Performance Bonus