R&D Chemist: Catalytic Hydrogenation & Process Scale-up

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

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.