Scientific Software Engineer - Materials Analytics (all genders)

Company Description

Momentum Transfer is an innovative seed‒funded startup that has successfully spun out from a BASF-owned incubator. In just 1.5 years, we've established ourselves as a "hyper‒scaler" for powder X‒ray diffraction (XRD) data analysis, serving over 1,500 scientists and researchers worldwide from both academia and industry.

Our mission is to make synchrotron measurements affordable and accessible to everyone. We aim to revolutionize materials discovery, optimization, and understanding by modernizing the workflows in materials science. We provide high-throughput X-ray measurements and advanced data analytics, democratizing access to high-quality experiments and expertise. Our services include crystal structure solutions and characterization of nanostructured and amorphous materials, as well as other applications.

Role Description

We're seeking a passionate Scientific Software Engineer to join our growing team in a key role with significant impact potential. As our first dedicated scientific software engineer, you'll play a crucial role in bridging the gap between complex powder XRD analysis workflows and intuitive user interfaces.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Translating complex powder XRD data analysis workflows into intuitive interfaces and
• Leveraging open‒source software and implementing findings from recent crystallography research publications to enhance our scientific capabilities
• Translating academic proof‒of‒concept analysis algorithms and publications into robust, scalable, and user‒friendly applications
• Collaborating with our development team to ensure scientific integrity while delivering exceptional user experiences
• Contributing to the architecture and design of XRD data processing pipelines

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional/industry software development experience (PhD time not counted toward this requirement)
• Either a formal academic background (Bachelor's/Master's) in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related field or significant professional experience working directly within these scientific domains
• Expert knowledge in powder X‒ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, analysis methods, and interpretation
• Strong understanding of crystallography principles and diffraction pattern analysis
• Solid knowledge in Python for scientific computing and data analysis
• Proficiency in C and/or C++ to help us modernize scientific code
• Experience with modern software development practices and technology stacks
• Experience with machine learning applications is a significant plus
• Knowledge of React, TypeScript, and Node.js is a plus
• Ability to implement and optimize complex diffraction algorithms from scientific literature
• Collaborative mindset and willingness to support various development efforts in an early‒stage company
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills
• Ability to work independently and remotely

This is a full-time remote role for a Scientific Software Engineer specializing in Materials Analytics. The responsibilities will include developing and maintaining software for high-throughput X-ray measurements, designing and implementing back-end web systems, and enhancing analytical tools used in materials science. The role involves collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to modernize materials science workflows and improve data analytics platforms.

Why Join Us

• Shape the foundation of our powder XRD analysis software with significant ownership and influence
• Make a direct impact on scientific discovery through tools used by 1,000+ active researchers worldwide
• Work at the exciting intersection of cutting‒edge software development and crystallography
• Solve complex powder diffraction challenges that have meaningful real‒world applications
• Grow professionally alongside a well‒funded startup with strong market traction
• Be part of a collaborative team passionate about advancing materials science through better software

Our Tech Stack

You'll work with our tech stack, including Python, C++, React, TypeScript, Node.js, AWS, Docker, and Serverless, with opportunities to introduce and implement new technologies that advance our analysis capabilities.