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A. Role Overview:

Prayanam Industries Private Limited, an aerospace and defence company seeks a passionate and self-driven Lead Materials Scientist to design, development, and perform qualification tests of composite ultralight materials. The position involves end-to-end R&D; lifecycle from material formulation to prototyping, testing, and technology transition to production. The position is 100% on-site at Sangli Maharashtra with occasional travel for testing and collaboration. Ideal for those passionate with deeper understanding with the focus on pushing innovation in new materials under strict performance and quality standards.

B. Responsibilities:

1. Design and synthesise novel polyimide aerogel and hybrid aerogel composite formulations engineered for target combinations of ultralow density, mechanical stiffness, gas impermeability, and environmental survivability.
2. Develop and optimise sol-gel chemistry, imidisation protocols, supercritical and ambient-pressure drying processes, and fibre/filler reinforcement strategies for scalable composite fabrication.
3. Plan and execute the transition from bench-scale aerogel synthesis to large-area, production-ready composite manufacturing, including development of reproducible coating, lamination, and membrane integration processes.
4. Utilize advanced simulation and computational analysis tools to predict and analyze the composite materials under various loads and conditions. Optimize the material and its reinforcement architecture through iterative simulation.
5. Lead the fabrication of prototype components to demonstrate material applicability across different geometries.
6. Plan and execute a comprehensive testing program to qualify the recent composite material. Use the results to validate material models and refine the composite design, ensuring the material meets or exceeds all performance criteria and safety factors.
7. Work closely with cross-functioning team throughout the development process to ensure the composite material and its manufacturing methods are compatible with real-world application and production needs.
8. Take ownership of technical documentation and knowledge transfer. Provide regular updates to stakeholders and management, communicating progress, challenges, and risk mitigation plans. Additionally, author research reports and papers as needed for internal use or external publication and ensure that project documentation meets the standards for any potential audits or customer reviews.
9. Lead technical discussions and problem-solving sessions, drawing on deep expertise in composite materials to overcome roadblocks.



Make key technical decisions on material formulation adjustments, processing changes, or test plan modifications based on data analysis.
10. Ensure the project stays on schedule and within scope, adjusting experimental plans as necessary to meet objectives.

C. Qualifications:

1. Ph.D. or Master's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, or a closely related field. Research focus in aerogels, porous materials, or high-performance polymer composites is strongly preferred.
2. At least 8 years in R&D;, including material synthesis and development, with proven leadership in novel material development programs.
3. Prior experience in defense or aerospace R&D; programs, particularly with customer audits, will be considered a strong advantage.

Expertise should be as following:

1. Ultralight aerogel and porous material design expertise.
2. Thin-shell composite membrane and multilayer barrier film engineering.
3. Multiphysics simulation expertise.
4. Large-area composite manufacturing, coating, and scalable process engineering.
5. UV, ozone, thermal fatigue, and long-duration survivability.
6. Testing and qualification methodologies as per ASTM, ASME, and MIL-STD.

D. Work Conditions:

1. Willing to work in deep-tech and defence startup.
2. Location: Sangli, Maharashtra. (on-site only).
3. Travel: Occasional (≤10%) for testing, vendor visits, and collaborations.
4. Hours: Standard work hours; flexibility required during extended testing cycles.

E. Compensation & Benefits:

1. Prayanam Industries offers a competitive senior-level compensation package and the opportunity to lead a high-impact project pushing the boundaries of advanced composite materials.
2. Perks are offered as per the Government of India statutory requirements and company HR policies.

F. Background Verification Requirement:

1. Prayanam Industries Pvt. Ltd. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, compliant with Government of India employment laws, ensuring non-discrimination based on caste, creed, gender, religion, or disability.
2. All appointments are subject to successful completion of police verification and background checks as per Government of India labor regulations and security norms.



Candidates must provide the necessary documents and clearances before final confirmation of employment.

G. How to Apply

- Send your application to [email protected] with the subject line: Application — Lead Materials Scientist [Your Name].
- Your application must include all three of the following; incomplete applications will not be considered:
- Curriculum Vitae — detailing your education, research experience, publications, and relevant project history.
- Cover Letter — explaining your motivation, your specific experience with aerogel or polyimide composite systems, and what you would bring to this programme.
- Written responses to both screening questions below — each response should not exceed 600 words. Responses will be evaluated for technical depth, problem-solving approach, and clarity of reasoning.

- Screening Questions

Question 1 — Structural Design Under Differential Pressure:

You are tasked with designing a large-area, closed-shell composite structure using a polyimide aerogel core that must sustain a continuous external pressure differential of approximately 100 kPa without global buckling, local shell collapse, or delamination. The structure has a mass budget of under 150 g/m². Describe your material architecture and design approach. What are the dominant failure modes you would need to engineer against, how would you experimentally characterise them, and what fabrication or process controls would you implement to ensure structural consistency at scale?

Question 2 — Gas Barrier Performance and Permeability Management:

A polyimide aerogel composite membrane is required to maintain a specified low-permeability gas barrier over a multi-year operational life under combined UV, thermal cycling (−60°C to +80°C), and mechanical fatigue loading. Describe how you would characterise the baseline gas transport properties of your aerogel composite system, identify the degradation mechanisms that are most likely to compromise barrier performance over time, and design an accelerated life test protocol to predict long-term permeability behaviour. What reinforcement or coating strategies would you consider to meet the barrier specification, and what trade-offs do they introduce?

Join us as we pioneer a cutting-edge composite material. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in realizing a breakthrough in materials engineering. If you are a seasoned materials scientist with a drive for innovation for advanced materials development, we encourage you to apply and be a part of this career defining opportunity at Prayanam Industries.

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📌 Material Scientist (Sangli)
🏢 Prayanam IndustriesTM
📍 Sangli