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Chemical Engineering Associate

Job type: Full Time · Department: Chemical Engineering · Work type: On-Site · USD 35-45 / hour

South San Francisco, California, United States

About the Role

We are seeking a Chemical Engineering Associate to support experimental and process development work across our in-house reactor systems. This is a hands-on role focused on executing and supporting chemical processes at the pilot scale, with a clear path toward increased ownership in experimental design and process development over time.

This position is ideal for a recent Chemical Engineering graduate who is excited to apply core engineering fundamentals in a practical, fast-paced lab environment. You’ll work closely with experienced engineers and scientists to help develop and scale a unique chemical process that is central to our product.

What You’ll Do

  • Operate and support experiments on pilot reactor systems, including setup, execution, and teardown

  • Follow established procedures to run chemical processes safely and consistently

  • Assist in monitoring and documenting key process parameters (e.g., temperature, time, agitation, catalyst loading)

  • Analyze experimental data and contribute to process understanding and optimization efforts

  • Support general lab operations, including equipment preparation, cleaning, and organization

  • Collaborate with engineering and R&D teams to execute planned experiments and process improvements

Over time, you will:

  • Take on increasing independence in running experiments

  • Contribute to design-of-experiments (DOE) studies

  • Partner more closely with R&D to inform process development decisions

What Success Looks Like

  • Within 3-6 months: Ability to independently and reliably execute core synthetic processes across our reactors

  • Consistent delivery of high-quality experimental work and accurate documentation

  • Demonstrated understanding of process parameters and their impact on outcomes

  • Growth toward contributing to experimental design and process optimization

Who You Are

  • Bachelor’s (or Master’s) degree in Chemical Engineering

  • Strong foundation in core chemical engineering principles (e.g., reaction engineering, transport phenomena)

  • Hands-on experience from academic research, labs, or internships

  • Comfortable working in a lab environment with chemical processes and equipment

  • Detail-oriented with a focus on safety and execution quality

  • Able to manage time effectively and follow direction while building toward independence

  • Willing to occasionally adjust schedule to support longer-running experiments

Nice to Have

  • Experience working with reactors, pressure vessels, or similar equipment

  • Familiarity with organic solvents and standard lab glassware

  • Exposure to polymer synthesis or related chemistry

  • Basic understanding of analytical techniques (e.g., chromatography)

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