Senior Catalyst R&D Engineer

Clariant; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

PTO time with carry-over

Tuition Reimbursement

Wellness Program

Life/AD&D Insurance

Disability Insurance

Pet Insurance

Identity Theft Protection

Legal Services Plan

Job summary

Clariant in Palo Alto, CA is seeking a Senior Lab Engineer to advance catalyst technologies through high-throughput and conventional testing, data-driven analysis, and DOE-based experiments. You will design and execute laboratory experiments, operate specialized R&D equipment, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate results into actionable improvements.

The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, experience with GC and reactor systems, and strong analytical and communication skills

Qualifications

• M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry or related with 2–6 years of industrial experience.
• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry or related with 0–5 years in heterogeneous catalysis.
• Experience with heterogeneous catalyst synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation.
• Hands-on experience operating laboratory reactor systems, Gas Chromatography (GC), and other analytical instrumentation.
• Strong analytical, technical writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a laboratory-based R&D environment.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate catalytic materials using high-throughput and conventional catalyst testing techniques.
• Execute laboratory experiments to support catalyst development and product improvement projects.
• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and upgrade specialized R&D equipment, including: parallel fixed-bed reactor systems, GC, data acquisition and analysis systems and high-throughput catalyst screening equipment
• Develop and implement new high-throughput testing methodologies to improve efficiency and accelerate product development.
• Analyze experimental data and communicate results through technical reports and presentations.
• Support multiple research projects simultaneously while maintaining high-quality execution and documentation.
• Collaborate with project leaders, scientists, and engineers to achieve project objectives and milestones.
• Provide technical guidance and coaching to less experienced team members.
• Maintain a safe laboratory environment and comply with all company safety, environmental, and quality standards.

Skills

Data analysis

Python

MATLAB

Design of Experiments

Machine learning

Collaborative work

Technical writing

Experiment design

Education

M.S. in Chemical Engineering

M.S. in Materials Science

M.S. in Chemistry

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Gas Chromatographs (GC)

High-throughput testing equipment

Laboratory reactor systems

Job description

Clariant in Palo Alto, CA is seeking a Senior Lab Engineer to advance catalyst technologies through high-throughput and conventional testing, data-driven analysis, and DOE-based experiments. You will design and execute laboratory experiments, operate specialized R&D equipment, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate results into actionable improvements.

The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, experience with GC and reactor systems, and strong analytical and communication skills