Role Name: Polymer Research Scientist About Manastu Manastu Space is a Space Safety and Logistics company focused on making space safe, sustainable, and accessible. We develop technologies to address critical challenges such as space debris mitigation and green propulsion, enablingsafer satellite operations, andlong-term sustainability of the space ecosystem. Our work sits at the intersection of advancedengineering, applied research, and mission-critical systems, requiring deep technical capability and long-term thinking. Website: https://www.manastuspace.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manastu-space/ Email: [email protected] Role Objective This role builds Manastu's polymer component capability for green propulsion, from the laboratory bench to flight. You will develop the diaphragms that separate the propellant from the pressurant gas, and the O-rings and gaskets that seal the joints. You will also select the vendors that make them. Your results will keep our hydrogen peroxide-based green monopropellant stable in flight hardware for the full mission life. You will own each component from the first material choice to the qualified flight part. This includes the roadmap, the targets, the team, the vendors and the specifications that production uses. Our own measured data will support each decision. Role Overview We need a Polymer Research Scientist in Navi Mumbai with a PhD and 5 to 10 years of post-PhD industry experience. This is a senior, hands-on role with full accountability for the polymer components of our propulsion systems. You will lead each polymer component through its full development: material choice, compound, moulding, testing, qualification and supply. You will qualify each part for long-term contact with hydrogen peroxide, and show its life with data that customers and agencies accept. You will work at the intersection of polymer chemistry, rubber processing,



supplier quality and propulsion. The design, propellant, metallurgy, manufacturing and test teams will use your results to make engineering decisions.

Key Responsibilities
• Own the roadmap, budget and vendor plan for every polymer component, and answer to the founders for delivery. Commit to measurable targets for each part, meet them on schedule, and report any miss at once.
• Select the material for each diaphragm, O-ring and gasket on comparison data, and record the reason for every rejection.
• Set the compound recipe with the vendor, and approve the compounding, moulding, post-cure and cleaning conditions for each part.
• Define the test plan from coupon to flight-representative hardware, the failure criteria and the acceptance limits, and approve every change.
• Write the material and part specifications to recognized standards, and keep them valid as vendors and hardware change.
• Develop each vendor from audit to approved source, hold cost and lead time to plan, and keep a second source. Control incoming lots statistically, stop any lot that breaks a limit, and close each failure by root cause analysis.
• Sign the storage life case and the data pack, and defend both in customer and agency reviews.
• Build and lead the team, and train it to run the tests and incoming checks independently. Experience & Background
• A PhD in Polymer Science, Polymer Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or a related discipline.




• Between 5 and 10 years of post-PhD industry experience in elastomer or polymer component development.
• Several polymer components that you took from material choice to production, for different service conditions; at least one is in production today.
• A solid foundation in polymer degradation chemistry and failure analysis: oxidation, chain scission, post-crosslinking, swell and extraction.
• Practical knowledge of compounding, moulding and post-cure, and of how they set crosslink density, residues and part quality.
• Hands-on experience with elastomer and polymer tests to standards such as ASTM D471, D395, D2240, D412 and D5289, and with FTIR, DSC and TGA.
• Experience of vendor development, Nadcap or AS9100 audits, first article inspection to AS9102, and seal standards such as AS568 and ISO 3601.
• Relevant backgrounds include O-ring and seal compounding, gasket manufacture, semiconductor wet processing, oil and gas, aerospace propulsion, and nuclear or pharmaceutical equipment. Experience in oxidiser service, such as nonmetallic materials for oxygen service to ASTM G63 or hydrogen peroxide, is an advantage. Ideal Candidate Profile
• A scientist who turns a broad objective into an approved plan, and is accountable for what the team delivers.
• Builds methods and test rigs where none exist, does the critical tests personally, and leads the subject independently.
• Explains each materials decision clearly to every team, states the limits of the data, and changes position on evidence.
• Makes each test safe and clean by design, and raises risks early.

What we offer
• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive health insurance
• High ownership and visibility, with direct access to leadership
• Support for learning, conferences, and research exposure
• Subsidised lunch plan

📌 Polymer Research Scientist (Navi Mumbai)
🏢 Manastu Space
📍 Navi Mumbai