Chemist

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive equity options

Health, dental, vision, life insurance

401(k) with company matching

Flexible paid time off

Health/fitness stipend

Open, supportive, diverse team

Job summary

ChemFinity Technologies in Brooklyn, NY seeks a chemist to design, synthesize, and test advanced sorbent materials for critical mineral recovery from waste streams. You will work hands-on with a cross-functional team to move pilots to industrial scale.

The candidate should have a PhD in chemistry or materials science (or MS/BS with 4+ years in industry), plus hands-on experience in synthesis, sorbent development and mineral processing. Strong teamwork and safety culture are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, materials science, mineral processing or related field; or MS/BS with 4+ years industrial experience.
• Strong understanding of organometallic and inorganic chemistry as relevant to metal bonding.
• Hands-on synthesis, sorbent development, metal recovery or industrial manufacturing experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, synthesis and testing of porous sorbent materials.
• Collaborate with chemists, engineers and co-founders to scale from lab pilots to production.
• Maintain thorough lab documentation and sample logs.
• Support scale-up efforts in sorbent synthesis and mineral production.

Skills

Organometallic chemistry

Inorganic chemistry

Sorbent development

Industrial chemistry

Project ownership

Education

PhD in chemistry

MS or BS + 4+ years industrial experience

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. Up to a 6x increase in critical mineral demand may be expected by 2040, to meet the supplies needed for clean energy, defense, manufacturing, and other technology sectors. However, 80% of U.S. critical minerals already come from foreign sources, and 7% of greenhouse gas emissions come from mining. 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.

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 a chemist to lead developments related to the design, synthesis, and testing of advanced sorbent materials for use in processing critical minerals from wastes. In this role, you will work collaboratively and hands‑on with our team of chemists, engineers, co‑founders, and external partners as we build new pilots, process new customer feedstocks, and grow from the lab to industrial scale. Key responsibilities include:

• Synthesize and test new porous materials using various techniques (e.g., organic and/or inorganic synthesis methods).


• Iterate and improve material design and process conditions for critical mineral recovery from varied feedstock sources (e.g., electronic waste).


• Support rapid applied R&D and piloting efforts across the team on proprietary sorbent materials, solid‑liquid separation, and mineral leaching.


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


• Maintain accurate and detailed lab documentation and sample logs.


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

What you will bring:

• PhD degree in chemistry, materials science, mineral processing, or a related field, or a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with at least 4+ years of directly relevant industrial chemistry or mineral processing experience.


• Strong fundamental understanding of organometallic and/or inorganic chemistry, as relevant to metal bonding.


• Hands‑on experience in chemical synthesis, sorbent development, metal recovery processes, and/or industrial manufacturing.


• Desire to own projects, communicate effectively, and proactively use critical thinking and team collaboration to solve difficult but impactful challenges in a dynamic startup environment.


• Unwavering commitment to high safety standards and supportive work behavior.

Other preferred qualifications:

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


• Experience in precious or critical mineral processing, liquid‑phase separations, sorbent technologies, water pollutant removal, and/or resource recovery.


• Proven leadership in chemical safety, SOP development, and/or laboratory management.


• Experience in writing grant applications and detailed technical reports.


• Experience in project management.

Compensation and Benefits:

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

• 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.