Senior Research Engineer

An accomplished and forward-thinking Senior Research Engineer is sought to join the dynamic team focused on sulfuric acid catalyst development. In addition to their technical expertise, this individual will take on the crucial role of laboratory supervisor for the research lab and lab technicians. Their expertise will contribute to the mission of driving sustainable industrial chemical processes and environmental stewardship. Their leadership will be instrumental in driving innovation, ensuring safety, and fostering collaboration within the team.
Key Responsibilities:

1. Catalyst Design and Development:

• Co-lead the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel sulfuric acid catalysts.
• Plan, use, and analyze laboratory reactor data to benchmark current production catalyst, competitor catalyst, and inform future catalyst development. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop catalyst formulations that improve reaction kinetics, mechanical and thermal stability, and overall yield. Conduct thorough literature reviews and stay abreast of industry trends to inform catalyst development strategies.
• Maintain existing and on-going documentation related to freedom to operate for the catalyst manufacturing site including formulations and raw materials practiced against issued or possible future catalyst patent claims.

Supervision and Leadership:

• Oversee the daily operations of the research lab, ensuring adherence to safety protocols and efficient resource utilization.
• Mentor and guide lab technicians, providing technical expertise and fostering professional growth.
• Coordinate research activities, allocate tasks, and manage project timelines.

Experimental Research:

• Plan and execute laboratory experiments to evaluate catalyst performance.
• Utilize characterization techniques to assess catalyst properties.
• Analyze experimental data and propose modifications to enhance catalyst properties.
• Troubleshoot, maintain, and improve lab reactors, as needed.

Product Scale-Up:

• Translate laboratory-scale catalyst formulations to pilot-scale and production-scale products using laboratory reactor and related analytical data.
• Work closely with process engineers to ensure seamless integration of catalysts into sulfuric acid plants.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Engage with internal stakeholders, including business-focused teams, to align research goals with organizational objectives.
• Present research findings, contribute to technical reports, and participate in conferences.
• Develop working relationships with key vendors and contribute to the qualification of raw materials used at the catalyst plant level.

Safety and Compliance:

• Champion safety practices within the lab environment.
• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and maintain accurate records, including chemical hygiene and OSHA requirements.

Qualifications:

• Education: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related field (Master's degree with significant experience may be considered).
• Experience:
• Minimum 5-10 years of research experience in catalyst development.
• Proven experience in team leadership and successful collaboration across diverse educational backgrounds.
• Preferred experience in development of heterogeneous catalysts, transition metal and promoter chemistry applied to catalyst formulations.
• Leadership Skills:
• Ability to lead and motivate a team of lab technicians in a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Technical Competence:
• Proficiency in catalyst characterization techniques (measurement of surface area, porosity, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and associated analytical techniques).
• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret complex data.
• Familiarity with computational modeling tools is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Passion: A genuine interest in advancing sustainable chemical processes, contributing to global environmental goals, and mentoring emerging talent.
Elessent Clean Technologies is a global leader in process technologies to drive sustainability and carbon neutrality in the metal, fertilizer, chemical, and oil refining industries with an unwavering commitment to customer support. We provide extensive global expertise across our portfolio of offerings in key applications - MECS® sulfuric acid production, STRATCO® alkylation, BELCO® wet scrubbing, and IsoTherming® hydroprocessing. Offering critical process equipment, products, technology, and services, we enable an array of industrial markets, including phosphate fertilizer, non-ferrous metals, oil refining, petrochemicals, and chemicals, to minimize their environmental impact and optimize productivity. We are dedicated to helping our customers produce high-quality products used in everyday life in the safest, most environmentally-sound way possible, with a vision to make the world a better place by creating clean alternatives to traditional industrial processes.
Other details

• Pay Type Salary

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