R&D Scientist - Organic Chemist

About the Company

Atoco, Inc. is a startup founded by Prof. Omar Yaghi, renowned for inventing MOF and COF chemistry. The company is advancing technologies in atmospheric water harvesting and CO2 capture.

Role Overview

This role joins a pioneering small R&D startup team tasked with commercializing and transferring technology from the University of California, Berkeley. The primary focus is on synthesizing and analyzing MOF, COF, and related supramolecular materials to evaluate their efficiency in CO2 and water adsorption/desorption.

Key Responsibilities

• Synthesize diverse MOF and COF materials across multiple production scales and conduct thorough physical and chemical characterizations.
• Collaborate closely with the R&D lead to meet departmental goals centered on developing commercial-grade MOF/COF technologies.
• Identify and analyze critical factors influencing the commercialization process.
• Operate specialized instruments for material synthesis and characterization involving techniques such as gas isotherm measurements, physisorption surface area and pore size analysis, particle size analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, electron microscopy, moisture content analysis, and solid-state NMR.
• Develop synthetic processes for organic ligands suitable for commercial-scale production.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to chemists and lab technicians supporting research projects.
• Maintain detailed electronic lab notebooks documenting data, observations, and procedural steps.
• Present and communicate research findings in project updates, program reviews, and technical committee meetings.
• Contribute to company intellectual property through invention disclosures and participation in peer-reviewed publications and conferences.
• Report periodically to management and engage in collaborative brainstorming and technical discussions.
• Participate in joint research initiatives with partner university teams.

Qualifications and Experience

• PhD in organic chemistry from an accredited university with a distinguished research record.
• Industry background in organic synthetic chemistry.
• A strong history of research documented through peer-reviewed publications.
• At least 3 years of post-PhD research experience.
• Between 5 to 10 years of industry experience.
• Proven expertise in MOF and/or COF materials research.
• Familiarity with safety protocols within chemical laboratory environments.
• A mindset that embraces diversity, teamwork, accuracy, and continuous learning.
• Dedication to operational excellence in laboratory, office, and chemical production settings.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills.
• Capacity to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously with strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Detail-oriented approach to procedure adherence and critical analysis of challenges.
• Demonstrated success with scaling up prototypes or experiments.
• Effective verbal and written communication abilities.