Polymer Mechanics & Characterization Specialist at 3M in Maplewood, MN

Job description

Job Description: Polymer Mechanics & Characterization Specialist 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 Polymer Mechanics & Characterization Specialist within 3M's Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division , you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. You will serve as a technical expert in the generation of high-quality experimental data and development of calibrated material models that enable predictive simulation of adhesives, tapes, and adhesive joints. The data and material models developed in this role will become foundational assets within 3M's Digital Materials Hub, where they are leveraged across product development, manufacturing, and customer-facing simulation activities. Here, you will make an impact by: Performing hands-on mechanical, rheological, thermal, and multi-axial characterization of adhesives, pressure-sensitive tapes, structural polymers, composites, and adhesive joints to generate high-quality experimental datasets for finite element analysis (FEA) material model development Operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving laboratory instrumentation including rheometers, dynamic mechanical analyzers (DMA), thermal analysis equipment (DSC, TMA, TGA), and universal test machines (load frames) with digital image correlation (DIC) systems Designing, developing, validating, and documenting experimental test methods that provide reliable, repeatable data for constitutive model calibration and simulation workflows Developing calibrated material models from experimental data and supporting their deployment within 3M's Digital Materials Hub for enterprise-wide reuse and adoption Applying polymer mechanics principles to characterize linear and nonlinear material behavior including viscoelasticity, hyperelasticity, damage, failure, and time-dependent responses Processing, analyzing, and visualizing large experimental datasets using Python, MATLAB, and other digital tools to fit model parameters, assess data quality, and communicate results effectively Collaborating closely with product developers, simulation experts, materials scientists, and customers to ensure characterization strategies align with application requirements and simulation objectives Training and supporting other researchers and engineers on instrumentation operation, experimental best practices, and characterization workflows Continuously evaluating and implementing emerging characterization methods and technologies, including advanced rheological techniques, full-field deformation measurement methods, and next-generation experimental mechanics approaches Communicating technical findings and recommendations clearly to multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders Balancing laboratory, analysis, and collaboration activities across multiple concurrent programs supporting diverse businesses and applications Operating with a high degree of technical independence while maintaining rigorous safety, quality, and documentation standards in a fast-paced R&D environment Your Skills and Expertise To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications: Bachelor's degree or higher in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Polymer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related science field (completed and verified prior to start) Three