Chemical Engineer

Location: Nottingham, UK

Remuneration: Competitive

Start Date: Immediate

Visa Sponsorship: Available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs, and UK immigration requirements.

The Role

We are seeking a highly capable, hands-on Process Chemist to join our technical team and help scale our materials chemistry from laboratory development into robust industrial processes.

This is an applied industrial role for someone who enjoys solving difficult materials and inorganic chemistry problems, working directly with laboratory and pilot-scale equipment, and using analytical data to drive process and material development.

Working closely with our chemistry, engineering and R&D teams, you will lead chemistry and process development activities from laboratory scale through TRL 5+ and pilot scale, while supporting the development and commercialisation of CO₂-derived construction materials and chemical products.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead chemistry and process development from laboratory scale through TRL 5+ and pilot-scale operation.
• Design and execute experiments to optimise reaction conditions, precipitation, crystallisation, particle formation and material properties.
• Develop and optimise CO₂-derived construction materials and associated chemical products.
• Investigate relationships between process conditions, reaction chemistry, particle characteristics and final material performance.
• Operate and optimise laboratory and pilot-scale equipment including reactors, filtration systems, mixers, drying systems and associated process equipment.
• Develop practical solutions for solid-liquid separation, filtration, washing, drying and powder processing.
• Use analytical data to guide process optimisation, troubleshooting and material development.
• Conduct and interpret material characterisation using techniques such as FTIR, XRD, SEM/EDS, BET, TGA/DSC, calorimetry, particle-size analysis and GC-MS where applicable.
• Troubleshoot chemistry, process and material-performance issues during laboratory and pilot-scale trials.
• Support commissioning, optimisation and continuous improvement of pilot-scale processes.
• Translate laboratory chemistry into scalable, reproducible and commercially viable process conditions.
• Prepare technical reports, experimental plans, operating procedures and process-development documentation.
• Ensure laboratory and pilot-scale activities comply with health, safety and environmental procedures.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary chemistry, chemical engineering, materials and concrete technology teams to support technology scale-up and commercial deployment.

Essential Requirements

• PhD or Master's degree in Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or a closely related discipline.
• Strong practical experience in industrial R&D, process development, materials development or chemical manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience taking chemistry or materials processes beyond laboratory scale, ideally toward TRL 5+ or pilot-scale operation.
• Strong understanding of inorganic chemistry, reaction chemistry, precipitation, crystallisation and materials chemistry.
• Proven ability to design, execute and interpret technically complex experimental programmes.
• Experience using analytical data to understand process behaviour and material performance.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving capability.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of technical problems from investigation through implementation.
• Strong organisational, documentation and communication skills.
• Proactive, hands-on attitude with a willingness to work directly with laboratory and pilot-scale equipment.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in a startup, scale-up, industrial R&D or technology-commercialisation environment.
• Experience scaling chemical or materials processes from laboratory to pilot scale.
• Experience with FTIR, XRD, SEM/EDS, BET, TGA/DSC, calorimetry, particle-size analysis and GC-MS.
• Experience with precipitation, crystallisation, carbonation, mineralisation or inorganic materials synthesis.
• Experience developing particulate, mineral, cementitious or construction-related materials.
• Experience with filtration, washing, drying, solid-liquid separation and powder processing.
• Understanding of particle morphology, particle-size distribution and their impact on material performance.
• Familiarity with process instrumentation, laboratory reactors and pilot-scale chemical equipment.
• Understanding of carbon capture, CO₂ utilisation, mineralisation or sustainable process technologies.
• Experience supporting pilot plant commissioning, process troubleshooting and continuous improvement.

What We Offer

• Hands-on experience with an innovative climate technology company.
• Direct involvement in scaling new chemistry from laboratory development to pilot and commercial deployment.
• Opportunity to lead technically challenging materials and process-development programmes.
• Access to laboratory, pilot-scale and advanced material-characterisation equipment.
• Close collaboration with experienced chemists, engineers, materials scientists and concrete specialists.
• Exposure to leading industrial partners, research organisations and commercial customers.
• Opportunity to contribute directly to the commercialisation of breakthrough carbon capture and mineralisation technology.
• Career development with the potential to progress into senior technical, process-development or R&D leadership roles.
• Visa sponsorship available after 12 months of employment, subject to satisfactory performance, business needs and UK immigration requirements.