Separations Chemist

ChemFinity Technologies; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Health, dental, vision, and life insurance

401(k) with company matching

Flexible paid time off

Health/fitness stipend

Diverse and inclusive team

Job summary

ChemFinity Technologies based in New York City is seeking a chemist to lead projects on advanced sorbent materials and mineral processing. The ideal candidate will have a PhD or relevant degree with substantial industrial experience, driving innovative solutions for critical mineral recovery.

The role offers an engaging startup environment with competitive compensation and a range of benefits including health insurance and equity options.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in chemistry, mineral processing, or related field or a Bachelor's/Master's with at least 4+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong understanding of organometallic and/or inorganic chemistry related to metal bonding.
• Hands-on experience in chemical synthesis and metal recovery processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects related to the design and synthesis of advanced sorbent materials.
• Support rapid R&D and piloting efforts on sorbent materials.
• Maintain accurate lab documentation and sample logs.

Skills

Organic chemistry understanding

Inorganic chemistry knowledge

Chemical synthesis experience

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in chemistry or related field

Bachelor's or Master's with 4+ years experience

Tools

Synthesis techniques

Analytical testing methods

Job description

ChemFinity Technologies is building critical mineral recovery systems to produce over 20 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 is 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, 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 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 projects related to the design and synthesis of advanced sorbent materials, separation performance testing, and applied R&D in processing critical minerals from wastes. 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:

• Synthesizing and testing new porous materials using various techniques (e.g., organic and/or inorganic synthesis methods).
• Iterating and improving material design and process conditions for critical mineral recovery from varied feedstock sources (e.g., electronic waste).
• Supporting rapid R&D and piloting efforts across the team on proprietary sorbent materials, solid‑liquid separation, and hydrometallurgical leaching.
• Assisting scale‑up efforts in sorbent synthesis, leaching, and mineral production.
• Maintaining accurate and detailed lab documentation and sample logs.
• Performing full‑time hands‑on work on‑site at our Brooklyn facility.

What you will bring:

• PhD degree in chemistry, 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, leaching, 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, aqueous‑phase separations, sorbent technologies, water pollutant removal, and/or resource recovery.
• Proven leadership in chemical safety, SOP development, and laboratory training.
• 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 $90K–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

Please reach out to [e-mail] if you have questions. 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. If you believe you are a great candidate for this role and possess relevant skills not listed above, we encourage you to apply and tell us why you are a great fit!