Earthodic is an early stage venture-backed climate tech startup that is playing a part in reducing our reliance on plastics by innovating at the forefront of material science. We help companies within the paper industry–and their customers utilize more sustainable materials. Our proprietary coatings achieve key barrier properties using purely bio-based ingredients. They are certified 100% bio-based carbon and recyclable.

We’re a team with diverse expertise and experience, spread across the US and Australia. We are committed to fair hiring practices where we hire people for their potential and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. As such, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t tick off every element below.

Job Description

The Technical Lead will be a scientist and technologist with their finger on the pulse of the functional barrier coatings market and work collaboratively with the executive team and across the organisation to facilitate US activities.

We are currently a small team, but with big growth ambitions! This is a mid-senior level position with opportunity to grow into a key leadership position as the company scales in the US. We can also offer the successful candidate exposure and experience to other non-technical elements of a high growth science-based technology company.

You will be our first full-time US employee, setting up a base for our technical operations in the US at the Innovation Center at Western Michigan University. We are open to hybrid working for the right candidate. Your role will include the following:

• Work directly with bio-based materials and be comfortable with a "get your hands dirty" approach. This will include laboratory based coating of customers' paper substrates.
• Laboratory testing of coatings to ensure they meet specifications (pH, viscosity, dry solids)
• Laboratory testing of coated paper samples, using a wide range of standard industry testing equipment, to ensure they meet specifications (water-resistance, strength, coefficient of friction).
• Coordinating with external laboratories (Tappi Labs) to validate R&D to commercial conditions.
• Work with the sales and executive team to ensure that products meet customer needs and are feasible to manufacture at scale.
• Work with the broader team and manufacturing partners to scale up lab-developed formulations to commercial scale.
• Analyse and interpret data to make data-driven decisions in the formulation and scaling process.
• Support the executive team with US-based sales calls or visits
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety protocols and regulations, conducting regular safety audits and training sessions to promote a culture of safety and minimize risks in the laboratory environment.
• Travel as needed to partner sites and engage in on-site research.

Ideal candidates for this position should be adaptable to the evolving demands of a small, (but growing) start-up, where enthusiasm for the product ideas and team collaboration are just as important as the technical skills you possess. Ideal candidates should be internally motivated and comfortable working with global teams across time zones. You should be excited to join an early stage startup and thrive with some level of ambiguity with the unique opportunity to help shape this role and the company’s US presence.

Selection Criteria

• Education - Degree in Chemical Engineering, Paper or Packaging Engineering or Materials Science. Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience - 5 years of experience in a research or commercialisation role at a paper, packaging or coatings company or other related company
• Strong team player.
• Adept at understanding technical specifications and maintaining safety standards.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Communication Skills: Demonstrated ability to communicate technical and commercial information effectively with colleagues, suppliers and customers.
• Mission aligned with a desire to advance the global transition to a circular economy.