At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative projects in carbon capture and cement chemistry to combat climate change.
- Company: Join a pioneering tech company focused on decarbonising concrete.
- Benefits: High salary, equity, performance bonuses, and private health insurance.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with opportunities for significant professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on global industrial challenges while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: PhD in relevant fields and extensive industrial experience required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Location: Nottingham, UK
Compensation: high salary + meaningful equity + performance bonus
Start Date: Immediate
Type: Full-time, permanent
Visa Sponsorship: For exceptional candidates only
About Us
Concrete and cement are among the largest industrial sources of CO₂ on Earth. We are building technology to change that. Concrete4Change captures CO₂ and locks it permanently into high-performance construction materials. The goal is simple: make decarbonisation of concrete commercially unavoidable. This is deep tech. Real chemistry. Real scale-up. Real industrial constraints. We are past the stage of academic curiosity. The job now is execution. That means building technology that works in the lab, at pilot scale, and in industry. It means solving hard problems in reaction chemistry, mineral formation, cementitious systems, product performance, and scale-up. It means moving fast and being right. This is a role for someone who wants to build something that matters.
The Role
We are looking for a world-class scientist to lead one of the most important technical areas in the company. Your job is to understand, control, and improve how captured CO₂ becomes stable mineral phases and how those phases behave inside cementitious systems. You will drive the science behind reaction pathways, kinetics, phase formation, hydration, carbonation, microstructure, durability, and real-world performance. You will turn chemistry into product decisions. You will turn data into scale-up decisions. You will turn scientific understanding into industrial advantage. This is not a role for someone who wants low pressure, unclear ownership, or years of discussion before action. You will work on problems that matter to the core of the company. You will be expected to think clearly, move quickly, challenge assumptions, and make good decisions with imperfect data. You will work closely with engineering, plant, and commercial teams. You will help build experimental capability, improve technical standards, and mentor other scientists and engineers.
What We’re Looking For
- PhD in Cement Chemistry, Construction Materials, Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field
- 10+ years of industrial experience in carbon capture, CO₂ mineralisation, carbon utilisation, cement chemistry, concrete chemistry, or related materials chemistry
- 5+ years in start-ups or high-growth environments
- Deep understanding of reaction chemistry, including mechanisms, kinetics, phase formation, and material transformation
- Strong expertise in one or both of these domains: carbon capture / CO₂ mineralisation; cement chemistry / concrete chemistry
- Strong grasp of analytical methods and hands-on experience interpreting complex materials data
- Comfortable working with methods such as XRD, TGA/DSC, FTIR, Raman, SEM/EDS, particle analysis, wet chemistry, and performance testing
- Able to connect chemistry to process conditions, product requirements, and industrial scale-up
- Proven ability to lead important technical programmes and make high-quality decisions
You’ll Probably Be a Great Fit If
- You care about first-principles thinking
- You like hard problems more than polished presentations
- You can go deep technically and still stay focused on what changes outcomes
- You are excited by speed, ambiguity, and accountability
- You want your work to end up in pilot plants, products, factories, and real deployment
THIS JOB IS NOT FOR YOU IF
- You want a slow, highly structured corporate environment
- You prefer observation over ownership
- You need constant consensus before making progress
- You like research but not execution
- You are more comfortable writing reports than delivering results
- You come from an academic way of working and are not ready for fast industrial execution
- You are looking for a relaxed working environment rather than a high-performance one
- You want to avoid start-up pressure, ambiguity, and pace
- You are not comfortable being judged on results
What You Get
- High-impact role in a company solving a globally important industrial problem
- Meaningful equity
- Strong salary
- Performance bonus
- Private health insurance and healthcare cash plan
- Pension
- The chance to help build something that should exist in the world
This is a good role for someone who wants to do the best work of their career.
Principal Scientist – Carbon Capture & Cement Chemistry in Nottingham employer: Vateris
Contact Detail:
Vateris Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Scientist – Carbon Capture & Cement Chemistry in Nottingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend conferences, workshops, or even local meet-ups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your hands-on experience and deep understanding of carbon capture and cement chemistry. Share specific examples of how you've tackled tough problems in the past.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like us at Concrete4Change. Express your interest and share how your skills align with their mission. It shows initiative and could lead to opportunities!
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into the company’s projects and challenges. Understand our technology and be ready to discuss how your background in reaction chemistry and material transformation can contribute to our goals. We love candidates who come prepared!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Scientist – Carbon Capture & Cement Chemistry in Nottingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for carbon capture and cement chemistry shine through. We want to see that you genuinely care about making a difference in the world and are excited about the challenges ahead.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your relevant experience in carbon capture, cement chemistry, or related fields. We’re looking for specific examples of how you've tackled hard problems and made impactful decisions in your previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise: In your written application, clarity is key. We appreciate straightforward communication, so avoid jargon and get straight to the point about your skills and experiences. Remember, we want to know how you can contribute to our mission!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures it gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Concrete4Change.
How to prepare for a job interview at Vateris
✨Know Your Chemistry Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of reaction pathways, kinetics, and phase formation. Be ready to discuss how these concepts apply to carbon capture and cement chemistry, as this will show your depth of understanding and passion for the field.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples from your past experience where you've tackled complex problems in a fast-paced environment. Highlight how you made decisions with imperfect data and what the outcomes were. This will demonstrate your ability to thrive in a high-performance setting.
✨Connect Chemistry to Real-World Applications
Be prepared to discuss how your scientific knowledge translates into practical applications, especially in terms of industrial scale-up and product performance. This will help the interviewers see how you can contribute to their mission of decarbonising concrete.
✨Emphasise Team Collaboration
Since you'll be working closely with engineering and commercial teams, share experiences that highlight your ability to collaborate effectively. Discuss how you've mentored others or built experimental capabilities, as this shows you're not just a lone wolf but a team player.