Cranleigh STEM is proud to partner with a high-growth start-up developing breakthrough technology to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
As part of its growth, the team is seeking a Senior Chemist to lead the development of high-value carbon materials derived from its proprietary process. This is a key technical role offering the opportunity to shape product applications, influence process design, and contribute to scale-up efforts for a technology with major climate impact.
Senior Chemist responsibilities
* Develop pathways to convert base carbon material into high-value forms (e.g. activated carbon, hard carbon).
* Evaluate upgraded carbon products for application in targeted markets, such as energy storage or filtration.
* Characterise carbon materials using analytical techniques including BET, XRD, SEM and others.
* Optimise carbon processing methods to maximise product quality while minimising energy and resource use.
* Collaborate with process engineers and product development teams to integrate material innovations into production.
* Contribute to scale-up activities, progressing from lab-scale (grams) to pilot and commercial quantities (kilograms to tonnes).
* Design purification and separation processes for carbon materials.
* Ensure all laboratory activities meet safety, risk assessment and COSHH standards.
* Provide day-to-day supervision and mentorship to one junior chemist.
Senior Chemist requirements
* Degree qualified (ideally to PhD level) in Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
* Proven experience gained in a research or industrial environment focused on carbon materials or related fields.
* Deep understanding of carbon material characteristics and synthesis/activation routes.
* Hands-on experience with key characterisation techniques (BET, XRD, SEM, etc.).
* Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to design and iterate experiments independently.
* Familiarity with laboratory safety protocols and best practice (risk assessments, COSHH).
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-moving environment.
Desirable
* Experience with catalyst development or microwave-assisted chemistry.
* Prior involvement in early-stage or scale-up ventures.
* Familiarity with carbon applications in filtration, batteries, or adsorbents.