Research Scientist / Associate Scientist (Process & Polymer in London

Epoch Biodesign is a well-funded, venture-backed start-up using biology to make every type of plastic recyclable - starting with nylon. Using a unique combination of AI, synthetic biology and green chemistry, we are scaling enzymatic recycling to transform currently unrecyclable plastics and textiles into new, virgin‐quality materials. Our technology yields substantial reductions in carbon emissions with disruptive unit economics, preventing waste from entering landfills or the environment, allowing us to solve this very urgent challenge.

With our pilot plant already processing Nylon 6,6 waste, we will imminently complete construction on our larger demo facility. This site will produce material destined for use in garments made by some of the world's biggest fashion, sportswear and luxury brands, and also in components for some of the world's largest car companies.

We are seeking a Research Scientist to join our R&D team at the intersection of Organic, Polymer, and Process chemistry. Unlike traditional synthetic roles, this position centres on developing scalable pre‐processing and purification workflows to support our proprietary plastic recycling technology.

In this role, you will:

• Optimise chemical processes to prepare diverse feedstocks for enzymatic depolymerisation.
• Engineer purification strategies to ensure recovered monomers meet "virgin‐grade" quality standards for high‐value repolymerisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and refine chemical separation and preparation techniques to generate purified streams from complex polymer blends.
• Standardise the chemical and physical properties of input materials to maximise the efficiency of downstream biological catalysts.
• Develop robust isolation protocols to remove impurities and additives, ensuring final products meet stringent industry specifications.
• Execute end‐to‐end "waste‐to‐monomer" cycles at the lab scale; perform rigorous mass‐balance assessments and analytical quality control to confirm process viability.
• Generate critical technical data packages to support the engineering team in scaling operations from bench‐top to production.
• Lead safety assessments for new workflows and maintain comprehensive records of experimental outcomes and SOPs.

Communication & Reporting

• Define project scopes, timelines, and resource requirements using structured experimental designs.
• Maintain meticulous laboratory records and author high‐quality "Closing Reports" and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Act as a technical liaison to the Enzymatic Depolymerisation and Engineering teams to ensure seamless hand‐offs between process stages.
• Synthesise complex datasets into clear, actionable insights for presentation to management and internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Education: A Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry OR a Master's degree in a related field with 2+ years of industrial R&D experience.
• Technical Skills: Proven expertise in separation science (extraction, distillation, recrystallisation) and organic characterisation techniques (NMR, FTIR, HPLC, GPC, GC).
• Safety: A demonstrated commitment to laboratory safety and rigorous risk mitigation protocols.

Nice to have

• Industry Expertise: Prior experience in the circular economy, plastics recycling, or sustainable/green chemistry sectors.
• Process Scale‐up: Experience transitioning bench‐top chemistry to pilot‐scale or kilo‐lab environments.

Benefits

• A generous allowance of 30 days paid holiday (plus the usual 8 bank holidays)
• Meaningful EMI Share Options
• A non‐contributory pension of 9% employer contribution
• Optional company‐covered private medical insurance with Vitality
• Group Income Protection
• Group Critical Illness
• Flexible working around the core times of 10am to 4pm
• Cycle to work scheme
• The opportunity to be part of building something remarkable

On‐the‐job Perks

• Complementary fresh fruit, coffee, tea and snacks
• Onsite gym
• Various staff social activities
• And we're continuously reviewing and enhancing our benefits and work environment.