We are inviting applications for an apprentice scientist to support our ongoing research initiatives. A solid background in chemistry and physics is required, and familiarity with electronics and IT would be beneficial. The role involves executing designated tasks, working in tandem with team members, and adhering to company regulations. Candidates must demonstrate strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and a robust work ethic. We highly value adaptability, initiative, and a willingness to learn.

We are seeking a chemical process engineer with strong applied chemistry grounding to design, analyze, and improve real industrial processes operating outside ideal assumptions. This role requires active use of chemical principles. not just mechanical or operational optimization.

It is a 3 month paid internship leading to a job.

You will work on chemically active, multi-component systems where composition, intermolecular interactions, phase behavior, and kinetics directly affect process stability and performance. Engineering decisions must account for chemistry–process coupling, not treat chemistry as a black box.

This role is for engineers who can connect molecular-level behavior to plant-scale outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Process Design & Analysis

• Design and evaluate continuous and semi-continuous chemical processes involving multi-component formulations

• Develop mass and energy balances that explicitly account for:

  • Chemical composition

  • Phase equilibria

  • Reaction or transformation pathways (where applicable)

• Quantify specific energy consumption (kWh/kg) and identify chemically driven loss mechanisms

• Define operating envelopes considering chemical stability, compatibility, and degradation risks

Scale-Up & Troubleshooting

• Translate laboratory chemical systems to pilot and early industrial scale

• Identify scale-up risks related to:

  • Composition sensitivity

  • Reaction or transformation kinetics

  • Heat generation from chemical or physico-chemical effects

  • Impurity accumulation or by-product formation

• Diagnose process failures using chemical reasoning integrated with transport phenomena

Chemistry & Materials Behavior

• Work with complex chemical formulations, including solids, liquids, additives, and functional components

• Analyze and control:

  • Chemical stability over time and processing history

  • Interactions between components (adsorption, aggregation, solvation effects)

  • Effects of temperature, concentration, and energy input on system behavior

• Correlate chemical structure and composition with macroscopic process and product performance

Process Optimization

• Optimize processes considering both chemical feasibility and engineering constraints

• Evaluate alternative chemistries, formulations, or process routes where performance or robustness is limited

• Balance CAPEX, OPEX, and chemical cost/performance trade-offs

• Propose control strategies informed by chemical kinetics and equilibrium behavior

Documentation & Communication

• Produce process flow diagrams, material specifications, and operating philosophies

• Clearly communicate chemical assumptions, sensitivities, and risks

• Support IP development related to process chemistry and formulation

Required Qualifications

Core

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering

• Demonstrated competence in applied chemistry, including:

  • Physical chemistry

  • Solution and interfacial chemistry

  • Chemical thermodynamics

• Strong grounding in transport phenomena and unit operations

• Ability to derive, justify, and challenge chemistry-related assumptions

Practical Skills (Non-Negotiable)

• Experience working with chemically complex systems, not inert test fluids

• Ability to reason about composition-driven behavior, not just flow or temperature

• Comfort linking molecular interactions → process stability → product performance

• Strong Excel / Python / MATLAB skills for engineering calculations and sensitivity analysis

Preferred (Strong Advantage)

• Experience in formulation-driven industries (specialty chemicals, energy materials, coatings, composites, functional fluids)

• Exposure to chemistry-led process development or scale-up

• Familiarity with:

  • Phase behavior and miscibility limits

  • Chemical degradation and stability analysis

  • Pilot-plant or commissioning environments

What This Role Is Not

• Not a mechanical/process-only optimization role

• Not suitable for engineers who treat chemistry as fixed input data

• Not a routine production or compliance position