Graduate Materials Chemist

HoloMem Ltd

Greater London

On-site

GBP 25,000 - 35,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Employer pension contributions

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

HoloMem Ltd is seeking a Graduate Materials Chemist in Greater London to assist in developing next-generation photopolymer materials for their holographic storage technology. The role involves hands-on lab work, synthesizing and characterizing materials, and supporting R&D activities. Candidates should have a BSc or MSc in Chemistry or related fields, practical lab experience, and a keen interest in advanced materials. Benefits include 25 days off and pension contributions in a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

Hands-on wet chemistry laboratory experience.
Good understanding of polymer chemistry and materials science.
Experience documenting experiments and analyzing data.

Responsibilities

Support the formulation of photopolymer materials.
Synthesize and characterize monomers and polymers.
Document experimental procedures and present findings.

Skills

Strong chemistry fundamentals

Practical lab experience

Attention to detail

Analytical and organizational ability

Education

BSc or MSc in Chemistry, Materials Science, or related discipline

Tools

UV-Vis

FTIR

NMR

GPC

DSC

TGA

Job description

Onsite 5 days a week – Chiswick, London.

We’re hiring a Graduate Materials Chemist to support the development of next-generation photopolymer materials at the core of our holographic storage platform and help bring our ambitious first product to market.

About HoloMem

At HoloMem, we’re building the next generation of mass data storage hardware; highly efficient, long life, and ultra durable. Our pioneering and patented holographic technology encodes data as light within advanced polymers, enabling a resilient and future‑fit alternative to today’s short lived and energy intensive data storage infrastructure.

Over the past 24 months HoloMem has graduated from both the Intel Ignite and Deeptech Labs accelerators, been awarded two Innovate UK Smart Grants, closed a seed+ funding round, and most recently deployed a working HoloDrive prototype to a live data centre to prove the robustness of our system.

Off the back of our breakthrough partnership with BDT, the world’s largest tape library manufacturer, we now begin the transition from prototype to product, maturing our validated system into a mass‑produced technology platform that enables state‑of‑the‑art data storage performance at scale. We have ambitious plans, and we are now scaling up our West London based team to enable them. Join us.

What You’ll Be Doing

As a Graduate Materials Chemist, you will work hands‑on in the lab to support the synthesis, formulation, testing and characterisation of photopolymer materials for holographic data storage applications.

You will contribute to the development of high‑performance recording media with strong optical properties, stability and durability. This is a practical R&D role for someone who wants to build deep expertise across chemistry, photochemistry, polymer systems and applied materials development.

The Specifics About the Role

The role is for a graduate materials chemist who can demonstrate strong scientific fundamentals, good laboratory practice and the ability to learn quickly in a multidisciplinary R&D environment.

Support the formulation and evaluation of photopolymer materials for improved recording sensitivity and efficiency
Synthesise, purify and characterise monomers, oligomers and polymers under appropriate supervision
Prepare and test thin‑film coatings for optical performance and stability
Work with optical engineers to evaluate holographic recording performance
Use analytical techniques such as UV‑Vis, FTIR, NMR, GPC, DSC, TGA and rheology, depending on prior experience and training
Document experimental procedures, analyse data and present findings clearly to the wider R&D team
Contribute to safe, repeatable and well‑controlled laboratory processes

Who You Are

We’re looking for a curious, motivated and methodical materials chemist who wants to work at the intersection of synthesis, formulation and real‑world application.

You may be early in your career, but you should bring strong chemistry fundamentals, practical lab experience and a genuine interest in developing advanced materials from first principles. You should be comfortable learning quickly, asking good questions, and working with engineers and scientists from different disciplines.

Required Experience

BSc or MSc in Chemistry, Materials Science, Polymer Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, or a related discipline
Hands‑on wet chemistry laboratory experience
Good understanding of polymer chemistry, photochemistry, organic chemistry, or materials science
Experience documenting experiments, analysing data and communicating technical findings
Strong attention to detail and commitment to safe laboratory practice
Ability to work independently on defined tasks while taking guidance from senior technical staff
Exposure to free‑radical or photoinitiated polymerisation
Experience with monomer, oligomer or polymer synthesis
Experience with coatings, thin films, photopolymers, adhesives, resins, or functional materials
Familiarity with characterisation techniques such as UV‑Vis, FTIR, NMR, GPC, DSC, TGA, or rheology
Experience from a dissertation, placement, internship, research project, or industrial lab environment
Interest in holographic materials, optical materials, data storage, or advanced manufacturing
Ambitious learner who is comfortable taking responsibility
Methodical problem‑solving skills with strong attention to detail
Strong analytical and organisational ability
Clear written and verbal communication
Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
Curiosity, resilience and a practical mindset in the lab