materials scientist Oxfordshire
Job description
Company & Mission
If you believe in science. If you have dedicated your life to it. If you understand climate change and want to do something about it. We have a job for you.
We are Nium: A nano-scientist, an engineer and an entrepreneur. We met at Carbon 13 - the venture builder for the climate emergency. Our Mission is to eliminate greenhouse gases at scale: at least 10,000,000 tonnes CO2e a year by 2030. We have a patent pending nano-catalyst and scale up technologies to help do this.
We can't pay what a big corporate might pay you, we can't give you the big city offices and corporate environment of a regular job with an industrial incumbent. We can't tell you what every day will be like. We can’t promise you a predictable 9-5.
We can give you equity, impact, responsibility, autonomy and a chance to work directly on the number one problem we face.
We are start up with all the chaos, uncertainty, potential and adventure that brings. We want this company to be the making of you, we want you to help to make this company. We have a healthy disdain for hierarchy and bureaucracy and a healthy respect for your mental health and home life. We are going to give you everything you need to succeed as a scientist, including the best labs in the UK, compassionate and encouraging managers and space to do the most rewarding work of your life.
You can find out more about Nium here.
The Role
We are looking for a Development Scientist, specialising in Heterogeneous Catalysis to join the team at Harwell Campus, Didcot UK. The role is based on catalyst production, characterisation and catalytic measurements towards ammonia synthesis. The person is expected to develop and apply bespoke techniques customised for Nium materials, and contribute to collaborative research projects with other industrial, academic, and governmental partners.
Key responsibilities
- You will apply specialised techniques to fabricate Nium catalysts for ammonia production.
- You will perform advanced Materials characterisation with a variety of techniques including TEM, SEM, MS and other elemental analysis techniques.
- You will conduct catalytic measurements on Nium catalyst with flow reactor combined with GC and MS analysis.
- You will maintain and improve the workflow, sample fabrication, and data analysis methods to allow improved efficiency of facility use.
- You will maintain and develop experimental standards and procedures.
- You will report the results in a timely fashion via both written and verbal communication to ensure that understanding of observations has been received.
You will have:
- The legal right to work full time in the UK
- The ability to come to our lab in Harwell each day
- A PhD or Masters (with research experience) within the following subjects: Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry or Applied Physics.
- Expertise in catalysis, especially in heterogeneous catalysis.
- Experience on catalytic measurements.
- Knowledge of analytical techniques for materials characterisation.
- A technical problem solver
- Self-motivated & collaborative
- Focused on a high standard of research data collection and analysis.
Nice to have:
- Experience/knowledge of (S)TEM, SEM and relevant analytical techniques (EDS, EELS, etc.)
- Knowledge of vacuum instrumentation.
Benefits:
- Work at Research Complex at Harwell and the UK Catalysis Hub with access to world leading labs and extensive facilities
- Work with the Inventor and have real and immediate input to the project
- Share Options available in a fast growing company
- £1000 Annual Personal Development Budget
- 30 Days Annual Leave
- Work from home days and, where possible, flexible working to accommodate family and home commitments.
Culture
Whoever you are in terms of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, sexuality - we will respect you and we’ve got your back. Equally our ego’s and identities have to be checked at the door, including founders- we do this by keeping eyes locked on the mission and reminding ourselves what is at stake. This is much bigger than all of us.
We are three male founders. That's not ideal. We hire for cultural add not cultural ‘fit’. If we all look sound, dress, love, act and think like each other - that’s a problem. We believe diversity of thought, healthy conflict and challenging status quo are hallmarks of a disruptive business, the kind that will eliminate emissions at scale.
So we would rather you were different in some way. But if you are similar in some ways… that's ok too.
It's about the work. Rather than working ‘for us’ you are working alongside us for the greater good, an inhabitable earth and a better tomorrow.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Flexitime
- Work from home
Schedule:
- Flexitime
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Oxfordshire: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Education:
- Master's (required)
Experience:
- heterogeneous catalysis (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Oxfordshire
