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- Tasks: Lead the development of sustainable polymer materials and collaborate with engineering teams.
- Company: Join Shellworks, a mission-driven company tackling plastic waste.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, generous holiday, and daily catered lunch.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture with growth opportunities and regular social events.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainability while working with innovative materials.
- Qualifications: Masters/PhD in Polymer Science with 2+ years of industry experience.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
📍 London, N4
🏛️ 4 days in our office, 1 day from home (choose from Tue–Thu)
💰 £50 - 60k per annum + equity
About Shellworks
At Shellworks, we’re on a mission to make plastic waste a thing of the past. We’re creating a new generation of materials - sustainable, high-performing, and designed to disappear. By reimagining how materials are made, we’re tackling one of the world’s most urgent environmental challenges.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the end-to-end development of proprietary polymer blends and additive packages. You’ll be responsible for expanding our core material's scope, successfully hitting commercial performance targets.
- Engineer formulations that remain robust and uncompromising during a product shelf-life but maintain rapidly biodegradable the moment they reach their end-of-life.
- Develop a predictive framework that correlates lab-based rheological and thermal data to real-world machine settings. Your goal is to eliminate trial-and-error by predicting how materials will behave before they hit the factory floor.
- Expand our internal testing suite to connect microstructure analysis (crystallinity, melt stability, etc) to macroscopic failure modes. You’ll deep-dive into analysis to understand exactly why materials succeed or fail in the field.
- Collaborate daily with our manufacturing and engineering teams. You’ll ensure your formulations are "manufacture-ready" stable, repeatable, and optimised for industrial-scale extrusion and molding.
- Act as the technical bridge between our design and commercial teams. You will translate customer requirements into concrete chemical specifications, ensuring our materials meet the aesthetic and functional needs of the world’s biggest brands.
- As a member of a dynamic team, you won’t just stay in your lane. You’ll jump in wherever needed from vetting new sustainable feedstock suppliers to identifying and researching new opportunity spaces.
Our Ideal Candidate
- Holds a Masters / PhD in Polymer Science, Materials Science, or a related field, with at least 2 years of industry experience.
- Brings a solution focused, results-driven mindset and a strong willingness to learn, this is a hands-on role that requires curiosity and initiative.
- Deep command of polymer chemistry, with the ability to connect rheology, crystallinity, thermal behaviour, and melt stability to real processing outcomes.
- Comprehensive knowledge of polymer science, formulation and analysis - you know how to connect the microstructure of polymers to macroscopic enhancements.
- Independent decision maker, you feel confident operating in ambiguity while driving clarity and momentum.
- A do it yourself / can do mentality - not focussed on boundaries but interdisciplinary problem solving.
What we offer
- 🌴 21 days holiday + birthday off + 27–31st December (plus public holidays)
- 📚 Growth and development opportunities as we scale
- 👍 Competitive salary + equity options
- 🎉 Regular socials + daily catered lunch at the office
- 🐚 A tight-knit, mission-driven team working on something that matters
Join Us
Becoming a part of Shellworks means being part of a team that’s passionate about sustainability and innovation. Our world-class team includes experts in materials science and visionary entrepreneurs dedicated to creating a better future. Together, we’re redefining what’s possible.
Senior Polymer Scientist in London employer: Shellworks
Contact Detail:
Shellworks Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Polymer Scientist in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Shellworks and its mission. Understand their products and how your skills as a Senior Polymer Scientist can contribute to their goals. Tailor your answers to show how you can help tackle plastic waste.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your technical explanations! Be ready to discuss your experience with polymer blends and formulations in a way that’s clear and engaging. Show them you can bridge the gap between science and practical application.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Shellworks team and its mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Polymer Scientist in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Polymer Scientist role. Highlight your relevant experience in polymer science and any hands-on projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Shellworks!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to express your passion for sustainability and innovation. Tell us why you’re excited about the opportunity to work with us and how you can contribute to our mission of reducing plastic waste.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, don’t forget to showcase your problem-solving mindset. Share examples of how you've tackled challenges in previous roles, especially those related to polymer chemistry and formulation. We love candidates who think outside the box!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you get all the updates directly from us. Plus, it’s super easy – just follow the prompts!
How to prepare for a job interview at Shellworks
✨Know Your Polymers
Make sure you brush up on your polymer chemistry before the interview. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've developed or improved polymer blends in past roles. This will show that you not only understand the theory but can also apply it practically.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to share instances where you've tackled complex challenges in polymer science. Think about how you’ve connected microstructure analysis to real-world outcomes. This will demonstrate your ability to think critically and drive results, which is key for this role.
✨Understand Their Mission
Familiarise yourself with Shellworks' mission to eliminate plastic waste. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals and how you can contribute to their innovative projects. Showing genuine interest in their mission can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Be Ready to Collaborate
Since the role involves working closely with manufacturing and engineering teams, prepare to discuss your collaborative experiences. Highlight how you've successfully communicated technical specifications to non-technical teams in the past, showcasing your ability to bridge gaps between departments.