Process Development Chemist

Job Title: Process Development Chemist (Synthetic or Organic)
Job Type: Permanent, Full-time
Work Schedule: Onsite, In Office
Sector: Alternative Energy
Location: San Diego, CA

NES Fircroft is a leading global technical recruitment company providing professional contract and permanent staff to a diverse world-wide client base within the energy industry. Our client, a pioneering start-up with innovative biotechnology that will create a sustainable pathway for alternative fuels, has a permanent opportunity for a Process Development Chemist to be based in San Diego, California.

Position Summary

Join a cutting-edge biotechnology startup advancing the intersection of chemistry and biology to produce sustainable, fuel-related chemical products. In this role, you will lead the design and development of novel chemical processes that convert biologically derived intermediates into valuable industrial compounds. From multistep synthesis to catalytic reaction optimization, you will contribute to breakthrough R&D efforts that support the commercialization of next-generation clean fuel technologies. This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of green chemistry with a mission-driven team shaping the future of sustainable energy.

Key Responsibilities
 

• Design and demonstrate novel multistep chemical syntheses to produce Company’s target compounds.
• Perform discovery reactions with full characterization of all byproducts to quantify reaction performance.
• Implement HPLC, GC, MS, TGA, and other relevant analytical techniques to determine reaction products and byproducts.
• Perform reaction optimization DBTL cycles to optimize: conversion, yield, solvent selection, operating conditions, and product recovery.
• Identify and apply heterogeneous catalysts for diverse reactions.
• Identify appropriate equipment needed for Company to expand its R&D and Pilot Lab Chemistry footprint.
• Perform heterogeneous hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation reaction discovery and process development.
• Identify and evaluate appropriate industrial protection groups amendable to massive-scale production.
• Perform aromatic modification reaction discovery and development.
• Evaluate and implement chemical process product purification techniques including crystallization, liquid-liquid extraction, precipitation, filtration, and distillation.
• Scale product recovery techniques to Pilot Lab unit operations.
• Leverage knowledge of organic chemistry to design multistep synthetic routes that maintain carbon skeletons and stabilize molecules.
• Apply knowledge of both batch and flow chemistry to develop novel reactions and optimize conditions.
• Lead interactions with CROs, in parallel with in-house experiments, to rapidly develop chemical processes and to gather additional analytical datasets.
• Exemplify excellence in lab safety and chemical hygiene practices.
• Strengthen and expand both chemistry data and project management to streamline communication in Company’s R&D team.
• Organize, present, and share data, challenges, questions, and strategies with Company’s global team.

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, or equivalent area, from an accredited university.
• Master’s or PhD Degree preferred.
• Experience performing research discovery work to develop multi-step enzymatic synthesis.
• Experience optimizing yield, reaction time, selectivity, conversion, and solvent selection for chemical reactions.
• Experience with heterogeneous catalyst and product recovery.
• Experience with hydrogenation, deoxygenation, protection/deprotection, and ring-rearrangement chemistry.
• Experience transferring/scaling multi-step synthesis to pilot scale.
• Experience development analytical methods on GC, HPLC, MS, and/or TGA.
• Experience developing product isolation/purification/crystallization/extraction methods.
• Experiencing implementing, organizing, and executing project management strategies for communication and transfer of chemistry data and reaction conditions.
• Additional experience to support key responsibilities above.

Working Conditions/ Environment

• Able to work 5 days a week onsite.
• Able to work in a BSL1 laboratory with hazardous materials including flammables, corrosives, and general health hazards.
• Travel up to 10%.
• Eagerness and appetite to be a team player and leader working in an exciting startup environment.

Why work here
 

• Growth in a Fast-Paced Environment – Join a pioneering, growing start-up at the forefront of synthetic biology, fuel innovation, and sustainability.
• Be Part of Cutting-Edge Innovation – Be part of a cutting-edge biotech company engineering enzymes to revolutionize alternative fuel.
• Mission-Driven Impact – Help drive the transition to cleaner, more efficient energy sources by developing breakthrough biotechnologies.
• Collaborative & Inclusive Culture – Work in a team-oriented environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Work with Industry Experts – Engage with top-tier scientists, researchers, and business leaders at the forefront of alternative fuel innovation.
• Competitive Compensation & Benefits – Enjoy market-leading salary packages, comprehensive health benefits, 401(k) match, and more.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a pioneering start-up with innovative biotechnology that will create a sustainable pathway for alternative fuels. The successful applicant will receive a competitive compensation package, annual bonus, comprehensive medical benefits, PTO, holidays, and more. Candidate must have authorization to work in the U.S. without a visa or ongoing work permit. For more information on this opportunity or others, please contact Mishu Ventura.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.