Applications Scientist

Polymer; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with company matching

Flexible paid time off

Job summary

ChemFinity Technologies in New York City seeks an Applications Scientist to support rapid performance testing, customer projects, and applied R&D. You will work hands-on with our chemists, engineers, and partners as we scale from lab to pilot to industrial scale.

The role focuses on sorbent performance testing, R&D and piloting support, and scale-up of sorbent synthesis. On-site at our Brooklyn facility with a strong safety culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry, metallurgy, or related field. A Ph.D. is a plus.
• 3+ years of industry experience or a Ph.D., ideally in mineral processing, sorbent technologies, and/or resource recovery.
• Experience in operating and troubleshooting ICP-OES or similar analytical instruments.
• Strong problem-solving skills, experimental intuition, and fundamental chemistry.
• Desire to work in a dynamic startup and collaborate across teams.
• Commitment to high safety standards and constructive work behavior.

Responsibilities

• Perform rapid testing of sorbent performance and mineral recovery when new customer samples arrive.
• Support R&D and piloting efforts on proprietary sorbents and hydrometallurgical leaching.
• Assist scale-up efforts in sorbent synthesis and production.
• Help improve and validate material formulations.
• Conduct ICP-OES and other characterization tests.
• Maintain accurate lab documentation and sample logs.
• Perform full-time on-site work at the Brooklyn facility.

Job description

About us:

ChemFinity Technologies is building critical mineral recovery systems to produce over 30 minerals from waste and mining feedstocks at low cost, using our proprietary, high-performance, high-durability sorbent filters. Our team’s mission is to produce these minerals in ways that are cheaper, cleaner, and more accessible than existing methods such as high-temperature smelting, starting with precious metals like platinum.

Spun out of UC Berkeley in late 2022 and based in New York City, ChemFinity is backed by top-tier investor firms and over 10 top government and grant agencies, such as Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Fellows, the U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA-E, and the U.S. EPA. ChemFinity has been recognized as top innovators in the critical minerals sector by the World Economic Forum, Forbes, and Conservation X Labs.

What you will do:

ChemFinity seeks an Applications Scientist to support with rapid performance testing, new and ongoing customer projects, and applied R&D work. In this role you will work creatively and hands‑on with our team of chemists, engineers, co‑founders, and external partners as we build pilots and grow from the lab to industrial scale. Key responsibilities include:

• Perform rapid testing of sorbent and mineral recovery performance whenever new customer samples arrive.




• Support R&D and piloting efforts across the team on proprietary sorbents, critical mineral recovery, and hydrometallurgical leaching.




• Assist scale‑up efforts in sorbent synthesis and production.




• Help improve and validate material formulations.




• Conduct ICP-OES and other characterization tests.




• Maintain accurate lab documentation and sample logs.




• Perform full‑time hands‑on work on‑site at our Brooklyn facility.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry, metallurgy, or related field. A Ph.D. is a plus.




• For this role, we are considering a range of experience levels. We are targeting a minimum of 3+ years of industry experience or a Ph.D., ideally in mineral processing, liquid‑phase separations, sorbent technologies, and/or resource recovery.




• Experience in operating and troubleshooting ICP‑OES and/or other similar analytical instruments.




• Strong problem‑solving skills, experimental intuition, and fundamental chemistry.




• The desire to be in a dynamic startup environment, own projects, and proactively use critical thinking and team collaboration to solve difficult but impactful challenges.




• An unwavering commitment to high safety standards and supportive work behavior.

Other preferred qualifications:

• Experience in scaling technologies in startups and/or from the lab to full‑scale commercialization.




• Proficiency in programming automated systems and process controls.




• Experience in writing grant applications and detailed technical reports.




• Experience in developing separations technologies, operating pilots, and/or executing rapidly on customer projects.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary range for this position is expected to be $80K‑135K. Compensation will be commensurate with experience level. For this role, we are considering candidates from a range of experience levels and highly value fit with our team.

• Competitive compensation including equity options




• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits




• 401(k) benefits with company matching




• Flexible paid time off and holidays




• Health/fitness stipend




• Open, supportive, and diverse team focused on creating major impact

ChemFinity Technologies is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace as a core value. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, nationality, color, sexual orientation, ancestry, religion, gender identity, age, marital status, disability status, or veteran status. We know the right candidate may not meet every criterion listed in this job description.