Activation Scientist

About Us: 

Material Evolution is a materials technology company founded in 2020 by CEO, Dr. Liz Gilligan and headquartered in Middlesbrough with offices in London and Wrexham. With a successful £15 million Series A funding round in summer '23 and our cutting-edge production facility in North Wales, we are on track to eliminate gigatons of carbon emissions. 

We’re an ever-expanding team of innovators, scientists, and experts, combining our unique blend of experience, skills, and expertise to drive change in the cement and concrete industry. 

Join us, and be part of a groundbreaking effort to build a more sustainable world, one material at a time. 

About this Role and the Impact You Will Have: 

As an Activation Scientist at Material Evolution, you will be integral to our material development process. Your expertise in mechanical activation and material processing will directly contribute to the efficiency and scalability of our low-carbon cement solutions. This is a key role where your work will help accelerate our mission to decarbonize the cement industry, ultimately contributing to a significant reduction in global emissions. 

What You'll Be Doing:

• Leverage your understanding of mechanical activation to optimise our material processing techniques.
• Develop and execute experiments to test and refine cement formulations.
• Apply various milling methods (ball milling, disk milling, drum milling, hammer Blend powders to achieve targeted compositions in our cement formulations.
• Use advanced material characterisation techniques including:
  • X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
  • Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX)
  • Particle Size Distribution (PSD)
  • Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
• Interpret experimental data to drive continuous improvement in material development.
• Support the scaling of laboratory processes to pilot and industrial scales. 

Key Skills and Experience Required: 

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of mechanical activation for inorganic materials. 
• Proven ability to design and conduct scientific experiments.
• Hands-on experience with various milling methods (ball, disk, drum, hammer) for material processing.
• Proficient in XRD, EDX, PSD, and TGA for material analysis.
• Capable of analysing and interpreting complex experimental data.
• Experience with scaling lab processes to industrial applications is a plus.
• Strong skills in collaborating with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Commitment to developing innovative, sustainable solutions for the cement industry. 

Our Benefits and Perks:  

At Material Evolution, we provide everything you need to perform at your best. Our rewards, benefits, and initiatives are designed to support your career growth, enhance your well-being, and contribute positively to our community.   

Along with a competitive salary, we offer an outstanding benefits package, including 25 days holiday (plus an extra day for your birthday), cycle to work scheme, learning budget and social events. We're passionate about well-being, which is why we've partnered with a leading healthcare provider and offer a wellness allowance. 

We’re creating an environment and culture where every individual feels safe and empowered to do their best work. We believe in everyone being treated and paid fairly, no matter their age, sex, ethnic background, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.