Material Scientist

Notpla Limited; London; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Notpla Limited is seeking a Material Scientist committed to sustainable innovation to develop natural materials replacing plastics. You will work on diverse projects that include conducting feasibility studies, collaborating across teams, and contributing to IP development in a pioneering and growth-oriented environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

EMI Share Options

Zero-carbon pension scheme

Discounts and social activities

Qualifications

• 2+ years industry experience in materials R&D.
• Experience with natural materials and processing techniques.
• Comfort with ambiguity and coordinating multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Conducting feasibility studies and discovery projects.
• Collaborating with designers, engineers, and specialists.
• Developing formulations for performance and sustainability.

Skills

Materials Science

Biomaterials

Green Chemistry

Material Processing

Project Management

Job description

The Role

At Notpla, we are at the forefront of sustainable innovation, creating natural alternatives to single-use plastic packaging from seaweed and plants. As a Material Scientist, you will drive scientific and technological innovations to develop revolutionary natural materials to replace plastic. This role requires expertise in Materials Science, biomaterials, green chemistry, and material processing.

This is an exciting period for Notpla, with a record-breaking revenue year and significant growth planned. We have secured a Series A+ funding of £20 million to accelerate our growth and environmental impact.

The Material Scientist will report to the Innovation Director and collaborate with the technical team, labs, and product portfolio teams. We foster an autonomous, responsible work environment rooted in strong values, aiming to build an inspiring culture.

We offer competitive salaries, potential EMI Share Options, a zero-carbon pension scheme, discounts, social activities, and a hybrid working policy. Our diverse, collaborative community is dedicated to making plastic disappear.

Your role involves contributing to innovative projects by developing new materials and scaling lab innovations to pilot stages. You will expand your expertise in Material Science, Process Engineering, and project management, working on feasibility studies, discovery projects, trials, and more. Collaboration across teams, scouting for new technologies, analyzing results, and engaging with scientific networks are key responsibilities.

Your profile

We seek a communicator capable of explaining complex concepts clearly. Ideally, you have at least 2 years of industry experience in materials R&D, with exposure to natural materials and processing techniques like extrusion or injection molding. Comfort with ambiguity and multi-project coordination is essential. Responsibilities include:

• Conducting feasibility studies and discovery projects in material science and packaging
• Collaborating with designers, engineers, and specialists
• Sourcing and testing natural materials, developing formulations for performance and sustainability
• Designing experiments, analyzing data, and presenting findings
• Innovating solutions for material and processing challenges
• Optimizing material processing and formulations
• Staying updated with scientific advancements
• Contributing to IP development and funding proposals
• Supporting fundamental research on seaweed and biomaterials
• Managing material trials and scaling solutions from lab to pilot
• Characterizing material performance and conducting compatibility tests
• Representing Notpla at external events and coordinating with academic and commercial labs

Salary

Up to £35,000