Research Chemist – Biocatalysis
Technip Energies · Conshohocken
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Position Summary
The Research Chemist / Senior Research Chemist – Biocatalysis leads research and technology development activities for enzyme-based catalyst systems within Technip Energies Advanced Materials & Catalysts (AM&C). The role develops, evaluates, optimizes, and characterizes immobilized enzyme technologies to support sustainable chemical manufacturing, renewable fuels, food ingredients, and other industrial applications.
Working across R&D, Operations, Commercial, customers, and external partners, the position advances projects from experimental design and laboratory validation through scale-up, technology transfer, and commercialization. The role serves as a technical resource in enzyme catalysis and contributes to new product development, scientific innovation, and intellectual property generation.
Key Responsibilities
Functional Responsibilities
- Lead the development, evaluation, and optimization of enzyme-based catalysts, with particular emphasis on immobilized enzyme systems.
- Design and execute experimental programs examining enzyme activity, kinetics, stability, and structure–performance relationships.
- Investigate immobilization techniques, carrier materials, enzyme–support interactions, and catalyst preparation methods to improve performance.
- Develop analytical methods, test protocols, and quality procedures for biocatalyst evaluation and characterization.
- Interpret experimental results, perform statistical analysis, and recommend next steps for product development and business decisions.
- Identify opportunities for new biocatalyst products, technologies, industrial applications, and improved methodologies.
- Support laboratory-to-pilot scale-up, technology transfer, and commercial implementation of biocatalytic processes.
- Provide technical support for customer evaluations, product testing, and commercialization initiatives.
- Contribute to intellectual property through invention disclosures, patent activity, and technical publications.
Technical Leadership & Collaboration
- Serve as a subject matter expert in enzyme catalysis, enzyme immobilization, and biocatalyst applications.
- Lead or contribute to multidisciplinary programs spanning chemistry, materials science, biotechnology, and engineering.
- Provide technical guidance to technicians and junior scientists; promote sound experimental design and reproducible data.
- Collaborate with R&D, Operations, Commercial, external partners, and customers to translate business needs into technical requirements.
- Prepare and deliver technical reports, presentations, recommendations, and project updates to stakeholders.
- Monitor scientific advances in enzyme engineering, immobilization technologies, and biocatalytic process development.
Laboratory Operations & Method Development
- Improve laboratory capabilities, experimental workflows, and analytical methods to support biocatalyst research programs.
- Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks, experimental data, technical reports, and scientific records.
- Evaluate emerging laboratory technologies and recommend methods that enhance efficiency and technical capability.
- Support development of product specifications and quality assurance procedures.
Compliance / Operational Responsibilities
- Comply with laboratory safety requirements, company policies, and applicable environmental, quality, and regulatory standards.
- Participate in risk assessments, hazard reviews, safety initiatives, and continuous improvement activities.
- Ensure safe use of laboratory equipment, proper documentation, and responsible handling of laboratory materials.
- Promote accountability, scientific integrity, and a strong safety culture.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- PhD in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, Materials Science, or a related scientific field with significant emphasis on enzyme catalysis or biocatalysis.
- Five (5) or more years of industrial, postdoctoral, or applied research experience in biocatalysis, enzyme chemistry, enzyme immobilization, bioprocessing, or related fields.
- Demonstrated scientific expertise in enzyme catalysis, enzyme characterization, enzyme immobilization, and/or biocatalyst development.
- Experience designing and executing independent research programs and solving complex technical problems.
- Experience supporting new product development, technology scale-up, process development, or commercialization.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary project teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience interacting with customers, external partners, and commercial organizations.
- Experience generating intellectual property through patents, invention disclosures, or publications.
Role Specific Knowledge & Skills
- Advanced knowledge of enzyme immobilization technologies, enzyme–support interactions, carrier materials, and biocatalyst preparation for industrial applications.
- Expertise in enzyme kinetics, catalyst testing, enzyme characterization, and relevant analytical techniques.
- Strong experimental design, statistical analysis, scientific data interpretation, and technical problem-solving capabilities.
- Ability to translate laboratory findings into commercially relevant technical solutions.
- Proficiency with scientific data analysis tools and laboratory information management systems.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, cross-functional collaboration, and project organization skills.
- Scientific curiosity, integrity, accountability, adaptability, and a customer-focused approach.
Additional Information
- Location: Conshohocken, Pennsylvania; full-time, 40 hours per week.
- Position grade: EC8 or EC9, commensurate with experience.
- U.S. citizenship requirement and availability of employment sponsorship must be confirmed with HR before posting; the source job description does not specify either restriction.