Senior Biopolymer Scientist

Tera Mira; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

Tera Mira in London is seeking a Senior Biopolymer Scientist to lead the formulation of our bio-based fibre. You will design and refine elastomer formulations, advance crosslinking chemistries, and map structure–property relationships to push performance in a real-world product context.

You’ll work with a small founding team, with part-time hours (3 days/week) and flexible remote options. The role emphasizes hands-on science, rigorous documentation, and impactful environmental outcomes.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in polymer chemistry, biopolymers, materials science, or equivalent research experience.
• Hands-on lab experience with hydrogel or biopolymer formulation, ideally in an applied or industrial setting.
• Familiarity with crosslinking chemistries (ionic, covalent, or both) and mechanical characterisation methods.
• Experience with wet spinning, hydrogel fibre formation, or related processing. Industry or startup experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the design and optimisation of our bio-based elastomer formulations, balancing elasticity, recovery, and durability
• Develop and refine crosslinking strategies to push mechanical performance beyond what ionic systems alone can achieve
• Design experiments to map structure property relationships across formulation variants then use that knowledge to move fast
• Translate formulation insights into clear guidance for wet-spinning process parameters
• Evaluate raw material and supplier options to inform formulation and sourcing decisions
• Document your work rigorously to support IP, grant, and partner conversations

Skills

Polymer chemistry

Biopolymers

Materials science

Crosslinking chemistries

Wet-spinning / hydrogel processing

Education

PhD in polymer chemistry

MSc in polymer chemistry or related field

Job description

Science & R&D London preferred · Remote considered 3 days / week

Senior Biopolymer Scientist

The Role

The chemistry of our fibre is where everything begins. How it stretches, how it recovers, how it holds up after a thousand washes, all of it comes down to formulation. As Senior Biopolymer Scientist, you'll take the lead. You'll design and refine the formulations that determine what our fibre can do, working directly with the founding team at the point where fundamental science becomes a product the world can use.

What You'll Be Doing

• Own the design and optimisation of our bio-based elastomer formulations, balancing elasticity, recovery, and durability
• Develop and refine crosslinking strategies to push mechanical performance beyond what ionic systems alone can achieve
• Design experiments to map structure property relationships across formulation variants then use that knowledge to move fast
• Translate formulation insights into clear guidance for wet-spinning process parameters
• Evaluate raw material and supplier options to inform formulation and sourcing decisions
• Document your work rigorously to support IP, grant, and partner conversations

This Role May Be for You, If You

• Have a background in polymer chemistry, biopolymers, materials science, or a closely related field
• Have hands‑on experience with crosslinking chemistries and structure property relationships in polymers
• Are energised by hard problems with real consequences not incremental work, but genuinely new territory
• Thrive in a small team where you shape the direction as much as you execute it

Qualifications

Education

PhD or MSc in polymer chemistry, biopolymers, materials science, or equivalent research experience

Experience

Hands‑on lab experience with hydrogel or biopolymer formulation, ideally in an applied or industrial setting

Technical

Familiarity with crosslinking chemistries (ionic, covalent, or both) and mechanical characterisation methods

Experience with wet spinning, hydrogel fibre formation, or related processing. Industry or startup experience a plus

What You’ll Find at Tera Mira

• A part‑time role (3 days per week), with remote working possible London preferred
• Real ownership over the core material chemistry behind our fibre platform
• The chance to be the person who cracks one of sustainable fashion’s hardest problems
• Work that sits at the intersection of deep science and genuine environmental impact
• A small, ambitious founding team that moves fast and takes the science seriously

Department Science & R&D

Location London preferred · Remote considered

Hours 3 days per week (part‑time)

Salary Competitive, pro‑rated

Start date Flexible as soon as possible

About Tera Mira

Stage Pre‑seed · Deep tech startup

Based Makerversity, Somerset House, London