Chemist

Cranleigh Scientific; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

HydRegen, an innovative biotechnology company, seeks a Chemist for its Chemistry R&D team in Oxford. You will develop, optimise and scale catalytic hydrogenation processes in a hands-on lab environment, delivering high-quality data to support product development and customer projects.

The role requires a degree in Chemistry or related field, industrial lab experience in catalysis, and hands-on use of pressure reactors and analytical techniques.

Qualifications

• Degree required in Chemistry or a closely related discipline.
• Experience in industrial laboratory settings focusing on catalysis or reaction development.
• Hands-on experience with pressurised reactors, autoclaves or pressure vessels.
• Knowledge of hydrogenation processes, pressure-system safety and reaction optimisation.
• Experience with analytical techniques such as HPLC, NMR and UV spectroscopy.
• DoE, process scale-up or continuous flow experience would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute catalytic hydrogenation experiments using pressure reactors.
• Optimize reaction conditions using structured experimentation and data analysis.
• Develop scalable hydrogenation processes from lab to pilot scale.
• Design downstream purification strategies including filtration and phase separation.
• Analyse data and produce technical reports and documentation.
• Operate analytical equipment (HPLC, NMR, UV).
• Maintain safety, risk assessment and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Problem-solving

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Quality & safety mindset

Proactive approach

Team collaboration

Education

Degree in Chemistry or related field

Industrial Biotechnology / Engineering or related field

Tools

HPLC

NMR

UV spectroscopy

Pressure reactors / autoclaves

Job description

Chemist (Chemistry R&D) - Oxford - £40k - £50k (dependent on experience)

HydRegen is an innovative biotechnology company at the forefront of developing cutting‑edge biocatalytic hydrogenation technologies for sustainable chemical manufacturing. As the business continues to grow, they are looking for an experienced Chemist to join their Chemistry R&D team in Oxford. This is an exciting opportunity to work on pioneering hydrogenation technologies, helping to develop and scale sustainable chemical processes while collaborating with a highly skilled multidisciplinary team.

The Role

As a Chemist within HydRegen's Chemistry R&D team, you'll play a key role in developing, optimising and scaling catalytic hydrogenation processes. Working in a hands‑on laboratory environment, you'll be responsible for designing experiments, operating pressure reactors and delivering high-quality scientific data that supports product development and customer projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute catalytic hydrogenation experiments using pressure reactors and autoclaves.
• Optimise reaction conditions through structured experimentation and data‑driven approaches.
• Develop scalable hydrogenation processes from laboratory through to pilot scale.
• Design downstream purification strategies, including filtration, extraction and phase separation.
• Analyse experimental data and produce clear technical reports and documentation.
• Operate analytical equipment including HPLC, NMR and UV spectroscopy.
• Maintain the highest standards of laboratory safety, risk assessment and regulatory compliance.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to deliver successful projects.
• Contribute to the development of next‑generation products and technologies.
• Support a positive, collaborative and safety‑focused laboratory culture.

About You

To be successful in this role, you'll have:

• A degree in Chemistry, Industrial Biotechnology, Engineering or a related scientific discipline.
• Previous industrial laboratory experience within catalytic hydrogenation, process chemistry, organic synthesis or reaction development.
• Hands‑on experience operating pressurised stirred‑tank reactors, pressure vessels or autoclaves.
• Strong knowledge of hydrogenation processes, pressure‑system safety and reaction optimisation.
• Experience using analytical techniques such as HPLC, NMR and UV spectroscopy.
• Excellent problem‑solving, organisational and communication skills.
• A proactive approach with a strong focus on quality, safety and continuous improvement.
• Experience with Design of Experiments (DoE), process scale‑up, continuous flow chemistry or statistical data analysis would be advantageous but is not essential.

HydRegen welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds and encourages applications from those who may not meet every listed requirement but can demonstrate the relevant skills and experience.