Staff Polymers Engineer

Figure is an AI Robotics company developing a general purpose humanoid. Our Humanoid is designed for corporate and home tasks targeting labor shortages and jobs that are undesirable or unsafe. We are based in San Jose, CA and require 5 days/week in-office collaboration. 

We are seeking a Polymers Engineer to own the selection, development, and validation of softgoods materials used across the robot platform—including elastomers, foams, overmolded components, fabrics, TPU skins, silicones, blends, and engineered polymers. This role will define material specifications, evaluate emerging technologies, and lead hands-on testing and DOEs to ensure safety, durability, tactile quality, and manufacturability.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and specify polymers, elastomers, and softgoods materials for tactile surfaces, protective interfaces, overmold regions, joint covers, and user-contact areas.
• Engage manufacturers, chemical suppliers, and fabricators to explore off-the-shelf materials or develop custom formulations, blends, durometers, or coatings.
• Create detailed material specifications, including durometer, modulus, abrasion resistance, tear strength, compression set, creep, chemical resistance, outgassing, UV stability, and finish quality.
• Build CMF/texture/touch standards where material feel and user perception matter.
• Develop and maintain material-level BOMs, datasheets, and qualification documentation
• Lead benchtop material prototyping using molding, casting, thermoforming, lamination, and overmolding processes.
• Evaluate tactile feel, stretch, stiffness, damping, thermal behavior, and real-world durability of softgoods.
• Work with CMs and REL team to define and run accelerated life tests: cyclic fatigue, wear, chemical exposure, abrasion, and environmental aging.
• Define and execute DOEs to explore material blends, thicknesses, textiles, coatings, or overmold geometries.
• Analyze test data and present clear conclusions that guide design and vendor decisions.
• Work closely with material vendors and contract manufacturers on feasibility, cost, tooling, color-matching, durometer tuning, and process optimization.
• Drive DFM/DFA for polymer parts, fabrics, and elastomeric assemblies.
• Support early material trials, PPAP/FAI, and scale-up at domestic and international suppliers.
• Partner with ID to achieve aesthetic, tactile, and brand objectives.
• Support robot builds, evaluate in-field failure modes, and continuously improve material robustness.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in polymer engineering, materials science, softgoods, or related mechanical/materials development.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or similar.
• Strong understanding of polymer mechanics, elastomers, rheology, softgoods construction, and material processing.
• Experience running structured material tests and DOEs with clear data analysis.
• Proficiency in documenting material properties, specifications, and test results.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with softgoods/CMF development for consumer electronics, wearables, robotics, or automotive interiors.
• Familiarity with silicone molding, TPU/TPE, LSR, nylon fabrics, knit structures, foams, and hybrid composites.
• Knowledge of overmolding onto metal or plastic substrates.
• Experience collaborating with textile mills, polymer chemists, or materials R&D teams.
• Experience designing and interpreting environmental, chemical, and durability testing.
• Understanding of color science, texture development, and tactile perception.
• CATIA V6 experience.