Catalyst Synthesis Engineer Co-op — High-Temp Fuel Tech

Lydian Labs LLC; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid lab internship

Job summary

Lydian Labs LLC is seeking a 6-month Chemical Synthesis Engineer/Scientist Co-op for Spring 2026 in Boston, MA. The role focuses on designing, synthesizing, and testing novel catalyst materials for high-temperature reactors, including wet-chemical synthesis and bench-scale testing under realistic conditions.

You will collaborate across engineering and scientific teams to guide experimental design and advance promising catalysts toward pilot and commercial systems.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. candidate in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• Hands-on experience with chemical synthesis and general wet lab techniques (e.g., solution preparation, impregnation or precipitation methods, drying and calcination).
• Understanding of reaction kinetics, heat transfer, and mass transport at an undergraduate level; familiarity with heterogeneous catalysis concepts is a plus.
• Ability to plan, document, and execute experiments; collect and analyze data; and apply statistical analysis.
• Strong focus on safe lab practices with foresight to identify and mitigate potential hazards, including safe handling of chemicals, high-temperature furnaces, and compressed gases.
• Curiosity, eagerness to learn, and a proactive mindset; comfortable asking questions and taking initiative in an environment where procedures are still being developed.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for sharing results with a cross-functional team.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced environment and solve interesting technical problems.

Responsibilities

• Synthesis of novel catalyst formulations to meet demanding reactor requirements (operation for 1000+ h at 1000+ °C), including preparation of supports, active phases, and precursor solutions.
• Reactor testing to efficiently identify the most promising formulations for further development, including loading and operating bench-scale test reactors and tracking activity, selectivity, and stability over time.
• Scale-up of promising formulations to coat large substrates (catalyst monoliths > 5 in long), adapting bench-scale recipes to larger batch sizes and coating processes.
• Working effectively with partners, including automotive catalyst suppliers, to develop scalable manufacturing techniques and transfer Lydian formulations to partner processes.
• Using advanced characterization techniques (e.g., surface area and porosity, XRD, electron microscopy, chemisorption, thermal analysis) to develop understanding of materials and degradation mechanisms, and working with external partners who can perform some techniques under our guidance.
• Collaborating with the other projects to understand and incorporate requirements and cooperatively solve problems, particularly around reactor design, coatings, and system integration.
• Own, develop, and execute synthesis plans of candidate catalyst materials with guidance from Lydian engineers, including defining hypotheses, selecting variables, and prioritizing experiments.
• Perform analysis of experimental data, prepare reports, and maintain database of catalyst formulations and experimental performance so that results are traceable and can inform future development

Skills

Chemical synthesis

Wet lab techniques

Reaction kinetics

Data analysis

Experimental planning

Lab safety

Written and verbal communication

Curiosity/proactiveness

Education

Chemistry / Chemical Engineering / Materials Science (B.S./M.S. candidate)

Job description

Lydian Labs LLC is seeking a 6-month Chemical Synthesis Engineer/Scientist Co-op for Spring 2026 in Boston, MA. The role focuses on designing, synthesizing, and testing novel catalyst materials for high-temperature reactors, including wet-chemical synthesis and bench-scale testing under realistic conditions.

You will collaborate across engineering and scientific teams to guide experimental design and advance promising catalysts toward pilot and commercial systems.