Laboratory Technician - Process Development

Kunin; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Kunin Technologies in Chattanooga, Tennessee is building a chlorination and ion-exchange pilot plant for a group 14 metal project. You will set up and operate reactors, distillation columns, hydrolysis vessels, and ion-exchange modules, handling chlorine and acids safely while logging samples and running ICP-OES analyses.

You will work with process chemists and engineers on mini-pilot campaigns, maintain records, and ensure safety and equipment readiness across shifts during critical milestones.

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical technology or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 1+ years in a chemical, metallurgical or pilot-plant laboratory; experience with corrosive or hazardous gases preferred.
• Mechanically capable: comfortable assembling glass and PFA systems, pumps, heaters and instrumentation.
• Careful record keeper; comfortable with spreadsheets and laboratory data systems.
• Ability to work in fast paced and demanding atmosphere.
• Team player who takes ownership of shared equipment and keeps the laboratory safe and organized.

Responsibilities

• Set-up, operation and turnaround of bench reactors, laboratory distillation columns, hydrolysis and filtration equipment, dryers, calciners and ion-exchange modules
• Safe preparation and handling of chlorine, concentrated HCl, moisture-sensitive chlorides and nitrogen-blanketed systems; scrubber and PPE checks
• Sampling on schedule, sample preparation, ICP-OES and wet-chemistry measurements, and sample logging
• Shift operation of the continuous mini-pilot during campaigns, including start-up, steady-state logs and shutdown
• Equipment maintenance, reagent and consumable inventory, waste handling and laboratory records

Skills

Chemistry

Pilot-plant operations

Reactor operation

Laboratory data systems

Team player

Record keeping

Education

Associate/Bachelor degree

Equivalent experience

Tools

ICP-OES

Glass and PFA systems

Pumps and heaters

Job description

Who We Are

Kunin Technologies is revolutionizing the critical mineral supply chain by implementing advanced separation technologies to capture value from overlooked resources.

Metals are everywhere, in solar panels, smartphones, electric vehicles, but as ore grades plummet globally, traditional extraction methods are failing. China dominates critical minerals markets by developing superior separation technologies that extract value from materials American mines discard as waste.

Utilizing Kunin Technologies' breakthrough performance, ion-exchange media significantly more value can be produced from each resource, reducing waste, and unlocking metal abundance.

To achieve metal abundance, humanity must bring separation science down its own Moore’s Law: fix the idiot cost index for micro and nano scale separation materials. This requires mass manufacturing novel ion-exchange media form factors which previously struggled from high costs.

THE ROLE

Group 14 metals (germanium, tin, silicon) are critical materials of the data center build-out, and Kunin is designing, guaranteeing and commissioning a group 14 metal chlorination plant overseas for an industrial partner: metal-bearing feeds from the partner's own process are converted by chlorination, purification and hydrolysis to an electronic-grade metal product, with Kunin's proprietary ion-exchange media recovering the metal from the dilute process liquors. Bench and mini-pilot process development runs in Chattanooga from December 2026 to May 2027, basic engineering issues in May 2027, the plant is built from modular skids in parallel with civil works, and commercial operation is targeted for the first quarter of 2028. The plant is built and operated by our partner; Kunin owns the process, the design package, the performance guarantee and the training of the operating team.

You keep the bench and the mini-pilots running. You set up and operate the chlorination reactors, distillation columns, hydrolysis vessels, filters, dryers and calciners, and the ion-exchange modules; you prepare reagents, handle chlorine and concentrated hydrochloric acid safely, take and log samples on schedule, run the day-to-day ICP-OES and wet-chemistry measurements, and keep the equipment, the inventory and the records in order. From March to May 2027 you work shifts on the continuous mini-pilot campaigns that generate the data the plant is designed from.

You are part of the research team in Chattanooga and work with the process chemists, the distillation process engineer and the analytical chemist. Team player who takes ownership of the equipment and the record and raises problems early.

By 7 May 2027 we expect both mini-pilot campaigns completed safely with complete sample and operating records.

Responsibilities

• Set-up, operation and turnaround of bench reactors, laboratory distillation columns, hydrolysis and filtration equipment, dryers, calciners and ion-exchange modules
• Safe preparation and handling of chlorine, concentrated HCl, moisture-sensitive chlorides and nitrogen-blanketed systems; scrubber and PPE checks
• Sampling on schedule, sample preparation, ICP-OES and wet-chemistry measurements, and sample logging
• Shift operation of the continuous mini-pilot during campaigns, including start-up, steady-state logs and shutdown
• Equipment maintenance, reagent and consumable inventory, waste handling and laboratory records

Qualifications And Preferred Skills

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical technology or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 1+ years in a chemical, metallurgical or pilot-plant laboratory; experience with corrosive or hazardous gases preferred.
• Mechanically capable: comfortable assembling glass and PFA systems, pumps, heaters and instrumentation.
• Careful record keeper; comfortable with spreadsheets and laboratory data systems.
• Ability to work in fast paced and demanding atmosphere
• Team player who takes ownership of shared equipment and keeps the laboratory safe and organized.

Compensation

This role will pay $75,000 - $135,000, benefits, and equity.

Additional Requirements

• Position located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• Shift work during mini-pilot campaigns, including nights and weekends, is required.
• Extended hours and weekends frequently required to support critical project milestones.Kunin will do whatever it can to secure work authorization for the right candidate.

Chattanooga is more beautiful than expected, and Tennessee has no income tax.

"The Whole World Is Ion-Exchange And The Rest Are Merely Details!"

Dr. Robert Kunin of Rohm and Haas, The Pioneer of the Ion-Exchange Industry, 1951