Lead Process Chemist

Adepto Technical Recruitment Ltd; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is looking for a Lead Process Chemist to spearhead R&D activities in Nottingham. The ideal candidate will have a PhD and hands-on experience in inorganic precipitation and crystallisation. This role involves translating lab-scale chemistry into industrial processes, mentoring junior scientists, and ensuring high standards of data integrity. Join an innovative firm making significant advancements in the carbon capture industry with opportunities for real impact.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry or related field, with relevant industrial experience.
• Experience in chemistry development within TRL 5-9 environments.
• Hands-on expertise in precipitation, separation, and impurity control.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D for CO₂ mineralisation and product stability.
• Translate lab processes to mini-plant and pilot-scale.
• Mentor team members and maintain high experimental standards.

Skills

Inorganic precipitation

Crystallisation

Solid-liquid separation

Troubleshooting complex process problems

Good understanding of environmental permitting

Education

PhD in Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, or Chemical Engineering

Job description

Lead Process Chemist - Carbon Capture - Nottingham, UK - Permanent

Our client is an innovative and ambitious startup organisation specialised in developing new calcium based materials from carbon capture processes. Their mission is to utilise CO₂ and waste to create, stronger, cheaper and cleaner building materials. They are seeking an exceptional Lead Process Chemist to take full technical ownership of all chemistry R&D and scale-up activities across the company. This is an amazing opportunity to join an ambitious and growing organisation and make a real impact on the future of the business.

This is a highly hands‑on technical role. You will be responsible for the development, optimisation, and industrial translation of the company core chemistry — from lab experiments through to mini‑plant and pilot‑scale production. The role requires strong experimental capability, deep scientific judgement, and proven experience in transferring chemical processes into repeatable, scalable manufacturing procedures. You will play a central role in defining product specifications, controlling impurities, ensuring process stability, and supporting the company's commercial deployment roadmap.

Key Responsibilities

Process Chemistry Ownership

• Lead and deliver company core chemistry R&D, including CO₂ mineralisation, crystallisation control, impurity management, washing, drying, and product stability.
• Develop and refine reaction mechanisms, kinetics, thermodynamic understanding, and morphology control strategies.
• Design and execute robust experimental plans, including DoE studies, validation trials, and scale‑up protocols.
• Review analytical data and ensure scientific validity, reproducibility, and clear documentation.
• Lead root‑cause analysis for failures, deviations, and process performance issues.
• Define product specifications, contamination thresholds, and structure‑property relationships for cementitious performance.

Scale‑Up and Industrial Translation

• Translate lab‑scale chemistry into stable, operable mini‑plant and pilot‑scale process windows.
• Work closely with process and chemical engineers to define mass balances, chemical consumption, and operating envelopes.
• Own chemical aspects of unit operations including solid‑liquid separation, washing, drying, and by‑product recovery.
• Identify and mitigate scale‑up risks including fouling, agglomeration, impurity build‑up, corrosion, and phase instability.
• Support development of SOPs, QC methods, and repeatable production protocols suitable for industrial deployment.

Technical Leadership and Scientific Standards

• Mentor and technically support chemists, materials scientists, and technicians as the senior chemistry authority.
• Drive high standards of experimental discipline, data integrity, reporting quality, and critical technical decision‑making.
• Ensure all chemistry outputs meet industrial expectations for reliability and manufacturability.

Essential Requirements

• PhD in Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, or Chemical Engineering (or equivalent industrial experience).
• Proven experience in industrially relevant chemistry development, preferably TRL 5‑9 environments.
• Proven hands‑on expertise in inorganic precipitation and crystallisation, solid‑liquid separation, washing, drying, and impurity control.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex process chemistry problems through experimental and analytical methods.
• Strong understanding of CDR principles, including mineralisation and basic MRV requirements.
• Proven experience transferring chemistry from lab scale into repeatable mini‑plant or pilot‑scale operation.
• Good understanding of environmental permitting for waste‑derived materials, including REACH and relevant UK/EU regulations.