Analytical Chemist - Energetics & Process Development

Approach Venture; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Discretionary bonuses

Medical, dental, vision

On-site work environment

Job summary

Approach Venture is seeking an Analytical Chemist in Waltham, MA to lead analytical method development and production-ready analytics for scalable manufacturing. You will own the analytical foundation from lab to pilot-scale production, crafting methods for intermediates, impurities, and finished materials, and shaping instrument platforms across the lab.

The role emphasizes technical ownership, cross-functional collaboration with process engineers, and building reproducible data workflows for

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on analytical chemistry background with method development.
• Experience validating analytical methods and establishing repeatable testing procedures.
• Ability to troubleshoot instruments, analytical methods, experimental procedures, and unexpected chemistry results.
• Strong written communication skills for SOPs, test procedures, and qualification documentation.

Responsibilities

• Own analytical method development and product characterization across chemical R&D and process development programs.
• Develop and validate HPLC, GC, LC-MS, and related chromatographic methods for intermediates, impurities, and finished materials.
• Develop quantitative NMR methods to evaluate reaction conversion, composition, and process performance.
• Use DSC, TGA, FTIR, microscopy, laser diffraction, and related techniques to characterize material properties, thermal behavior, particle size, and morphology.
• Establish analytical approaches for chemistry and materials where established test methods may not yet exist.

Skills

Analytical chemistry

Method development

Instrumentation troubleshooting

Data interpretation

Written communication

Independent work

Education

Analytical chemistry degree

Tools

HPLC

GC

LC-MS

NMR

FTIR

DSC/TGA

IC

ICP

Job description

Analytical Chemist - Build the Chemistry Behind Next-Generation Manufacturing

Waltham, Massachusetts | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join an early-stage advanced manufacturing company developing new chemical production processes for critical defense applications. The team is building highly automated manufacturing systems designed to take complex chemistry from laboratory development through pilot-scale production and ultimately into repeatable, high-rate manufacturing. As an Analytical Chemist, you will own much of the analytical foundation behind that effort. You will develop methods for characterizing reaction intermediates, impurities, raw materials, and finished products, while working closely with process scientists and engineers as chemistry moves from the bench into larger-scale production. This is not a routine testing or established QC role. Many of the analytical methods, workflows, and laboratory systems still need to be created. You will have significant ownership over how chemistry is measured, understood, validated, and ultimately qualified for production.

About Us

We are a venture-backed advanced manufacturing company applying modern chemistry, automation, and process engineering to an industry where manufacturing technology has changed relatively little for decades. Our work combines hands-on experimental chemistry with automated production systems to create safer, more scalable manufacturing capabilities for national security applications. The company is moving quickly from development into pilot-scale production, giving chemists the opportunity to see their work progress from early experimentation through real-world manufacturing.

Job Duties

• Own analytical method development and product characterization across chemical R&D and process development programs
• Develop and validate HPLC, GC, LC-MS, and related chromatographic methods for intermediates, impurities, and finished materials
• Develop quantitative NMR methods to evaluate reaction conversion, composition, and process performance
• Use DSC, TGA, FTIR, microscopy, laser diffraction, and related techniques to characterize material properties, thermal behavior, particle size, and morphology
• Establish analytical approaches for chemistry and materials where established test methods may not yet exist
• Partner directly with chemists and process engineers to understand reaction behavior, identify failure modes, and improve manufacturing processes
• Support experimental chemistry as processes move from laboratory-scale development into pilot-scale production
• Build analytical data packages supporting product qualification, first-article acceptance, and regulatory or customer documentation
• Specify, procure, install, commission, and qualify laboratory instrumentation
• Establish calibration, standards, reproducibility, LOD/LOQ, and instrument-quality practices across the chemistry laboratory
• Write SOPs, analytical procedures, validation protocols, and technical documentation from the ground up
• Investigate discrepancies in analytical results and determine whether root causes originate from chemistry, process conditions, hardware, sampling, or analytical methods
• Support applicable military or industry testing requirements in coordination with internal technicians and external laboratories
• Build or improve data-analysis workflows that allow scientists and engineers to quickly interpret current results and compare historical process data
• Maintain a high standard for analytical reproducibility and data quality across the laboratory
• Periodically support chemistry development and testing at a nearby pilot manufacturing facility

Qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline
• Strong hands-on analytical chemistry background with experience developing methods rather than exclusively executing established procedures
• Experience with analytical techniques such as HPLC, GC, LC-MS, NMR, FTIR, DSC/TGA, IC, ICP, or comparable instrumentation
• Experience validating analytical methods and establishing repeatable testing procedures
• Strong understanding of analytical accuracy, precision, calibration, reproducibility, detection limits, and instrument performance
• Ability to troubleshoot instruments, analytical methods, experimental procedures, and unexpected chemistry results
• Comfortable working directly in laboratory and pilot manufacturing environments
• Strong quantitative skills and the ability to interpret complex experimental data
• Ability to operate independently in an environment where procedures, infrastructure, and analytical standards are still being developed
• Strong written communication skills for SOPs, test procedures, technical reports, and qualification documentation
• U.S. Person as defined by applicable U.S. export-control regulations
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance
• Ability to work on-site and travel periodically between development and pilot facilities
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds

Preferred Experience

• Analytical chemistry experience supporting energetic materials, propellants, explosives, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or other tightly controlled chemical manufacturing environments
• Experience supporting chemical process development from laboratory scale into pilot or production environments
• Background investigating reaction intermediates, impurities, degradation products, or process chemistry
• Experience establishing an analytical laboratory or selecting and commissioning instrumentation
• Familiarity with military specifications, qualification testing, first-article testing, or regulated product acceptance
• Experience with high-hazard or highly regulated chemical systems
• Experience automating analytical data processing, visualization, or laboratory workflows
• Exposure to statistical process control, design of experiments, or manufacturing-quality systems
• Experience working in an early-stage company, R&D organization, national laboratory, or other environment requiring significant technical ownership
• Demonstrated interest in moving scientific work beyond benchtop research and into scalable manufacturing

Why Join Us

• Own analytical chemistry within a technically challenging manufacturing environment
• Develop methods and laboratory capabilities rather than simply inherit established procedures
• Work directly across chemistry, process development, automation, and manufacturing
• See experiments progress from the laboratory into pilot-scale and production hardware
• Join at an early stage where individual scientists can have significant influence over technical direction and laboratory standards
• Equity participation through company stock or stock options
• Eligibility for discretionary individual and company performance bonuses
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Compensation Details

$120,000 - $160,000