Chemistry Internship - Battery recycling

Linca Limited; Auckland; On-site; NZD 37,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Linca Limited is offering a Chemistry Internship in Auckland, focused on battery recycling. You will join a knowledgeable R&D team to optimise metal refinement, combining literature analysis, bench chemistry and scale-up activities for pilot and demonstration plants.

The ideal candidate is studying inorganic chemistry or related fields, with a passion for sustainable chemistry, and will gain practical, career-building experience over a 10-week paid internship.

Qualifications

• Be studying undergraduate or postgraduate degree or NZQA level 6–10.
• Be studying science, technology, engineering, design, or business at a NZ tertiary education institute.
• Be legally permitted to work in New Zealand.
• Not have been previously employed by Linca unless in a part-time or temporary role.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development of metal refinement processes within the R&D team.
• Carry out literature analysis, bench chemistry and scale-up to pilot and demonstration plants.
• Support the optimisation of hydrometallurgical processes to produce nickel, cobalt and lithium salts with required purity.

Skills

Inorganic chemistry

Green chemistry

Literature analysis

Bench chemistry

Education

Undergraduate or postgraduate degree (NZQA 6–10)

Job description

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Chemistry Internship - Battery recycling

Linca's vision is to be a world-leading force in critical minerals recovery, building domestic supply chains for the metals that power the energy transition. Spun out of Mint Innovation, our proprietary, hydrometallurgical process refines end-of-life lithium-ion batteries into valuable lithium, cobalt and nickel salts.We aim to provide a circular solution to critical battery metals where ever it is needed.

Linca's technology is designed to be deployed close to source, strengthening local supply chains, and reduce the transport intensity of the battery recycling loop. We're currently building our first demonstration facility to prove out this technology at scale, backed by a NZ based seed funding round led by Motion Capital and alongside a UK consortium including Jaguar Land Rover, LiBatt Recycling, and WMG at the University of Warwick.

Why apply?

As a young company moving at start-up pace, everyone at Linca has a "can do, no fuss" attitude. Linca is seeking a curious and driven chemist to help optimise and develop our metal refinement processes. They will work within a knowledgeable R&D team and contribute to the development of new hydrometallurgical processes to produce nickel, cobalt and lithium salts with the required purity for reintegration to battery supply chains. This will include a mix of literature analysis, bench chemistry and scale up of processes into our pilot and demonstration plants.

The ideal candidate will have an in depth knowledge of inorganic chemistry (especially first row transition metals) in addition to a passion for recycling and/or sustainable and green chemistry. The successful candidate will gain key research skills that will set them up for future scientific roles.

For more background on Linca see our website -www.linca.co

To be eligible for these internships, you must:

Be studying, or have recently completed, an undergraduate or postgraduate degree or qualification at NZQA level 6–10. If study has been completed, the closing date of your final semester should be less than 12 months ago.

Be studying science, technology, engineering, design, or business at a New Zealand tertiary education institute.

Be legally permitted to work in New Zealand.

Not have been previously employed by Linca unless in a part-time or temporary role.

This paid internship is an amazing opportunity for an enthusiastic, curious, and driven student to work alongside a supportive and welcoming team on a full-time basis(40 hoursper week) for10 weeks.Salaryis $29.90per hour.Ideallywe are looking at a start date betweenmid November- December 2026.