Research Scientist, Sustainable Polymers

Are you looking for an opportunity to work on with the transition of chemical industry from fossil-based to bio-based and circular feedstocks? Would you like to develop sustainable polymer solutions to improve plastics circularity and reduce reliance on fossil raw materials?  Do you want to build a science career and work in a versatile role at the interface of academy and industry? VTT might be just the place for you. 

VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning, and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Our cross-disciplinary community of over 2300 brilliant minds focuses on creating impact through science-based innovation. In recent years, we have created ground-breaking innovations such as the world's fastest and most accurate radiation detector, a cancer-sniffing sensor device for smartphones, and a headphone set entirely made of microbial materials. Get to know us further by exploring VTT's tech & infra.

We are now looking for a Research Scientist with strong polymer chemistry background to join our team of Chemical and Polymer Synthesis! 

As a Research Scientist, you will be working in close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders in a variety of customer and jointly funded projects in the area of sustainable polymers. You will play a key role in developing innovative, scalable and sustainable polymer solutions for packaging and coating applications.

You will be working in the Chemical and Polymer Synthesis team. Our team is working on defossilisation of chemical industries by developing novel paths from waste- and biomass-based sidestreams and CO2 towards renewable and circular materials and chemicals. We are a 20-strong diverse team with leading expertise in catalysis, sidestream valorisation, sustainable and circular polymer solutions.

Your responsibilities as a Research Scientist: 

Your primary responsibility will be carrying out research projects in the field of polymer synthesis. Creation of scientific hypothesis, preparation and characterization of polymers and formulations will be the core of your work. The work will include close collaborations with experts in chemistry, scale-up and application development. You will be in charge of communication and reporting of your work to VTT’s customers and other external and internal stakeholders. You must be able to translate global megatrends into innovative ideas and project opportunities and you will actively participate in project proposal preparation and customer sales. You must act as a role model in scientific excellence, safety and quality.

We expect you to have:

• Approximately 3-5 years of research work experience in polymerisation, polymer development or related discipline. 
• At least M.Sc. or higher degree in organic or polymer chemistry, polymer technology or related discipline. 
• Advanced practical skills relevant for polymer chemistry, including polymerisation and product characterisation techniques, experience with biobased monomers and polymers is a plus. 
• Excellent academic publication and presentation skills. 
• Industrial experience is a plus. 

As a person, we hope that you are:

We are looking for an individual with a strong scientific drive and ability to deliver. Acting as a team member in a project environment requires flexibility and natural capability to communicate and engage with customers and research partners. We need you to have an ability to quickly adapt, learn and improve continuously in order to succeed in a dynamic fast-changing environment.

With VTT, you’ll enjoy:

• Natural sciences with an impact. VTT works on the cutting-edge of natural sciences, and we've invested in building state-of-the-art research facilities for natural sciences, such as the Bioruukki pilot infrastructure for bio- and circular economy. Our research agenda is dedicated to solving systemic and technological challenges, such as reaching carbon neutrality and unleashing the power of synthetic biology. That means that at VTT, your expertise in natural sciences will go towards creating a real impact. Read more about our strategy – the path of exponential hope. 
• Superb colleagues and community. With VTT, you'll join a community of over 2000 multidisciplinary experts who foster a culture of trust, openness, and sharing of knowledge. We work across disciplines and house all the cutting-edge sciences, from quantum computing to synthetic biology, under one roof. Collaborating with superb colleagues is a source of learning, inspiration, and fun. Read more about our organisational culture as the builder of the world's most meaningful place to work.
• Excellent career in research. At VTT, excellence in research is a strategic priority. We offer long-term positions and stable career paths in top-level research. People tend to stay with us for over ten years since there are always new roles and responsibilities to grow into. A combination of cutting-edge academic research and applied customer projects keeps your career path interesting.
• Support for your well-being. Our people are our main asset, so we take good care of them. We aim to nurture excellent team spirit and leadership and offer versatile well-being services to enable a good work-life balance. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays annually (after one year of work), we offer exercise and culture benefits, hobby clubs, and voluntary well-being services such as meditation and cognitive ergonomics training.

Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds!

Please send your CV and application with your salary request via our recruitment system as soon as possible but at the latest by 15 September 2024. We will process applications as they come in and fill the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure may be conducted during the recruitment process.

Interested and want to know more?

For further information, please contact Research Team Leader, Alexander Reznichenko, alexander.reznichenko@vtt.fi, +358 50 346 4653 on Friday 6.9. at 14-15 or Wednesday 11.9. at 14-15 (Finnish time, UTC+3). 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Apply between 30 August 2024 and 15 September 2024 23:59 (Europe/Helsinki)

Employment type: Full-time, Permanent

VTT

VTT is a visionary research, development and innovation partner. We drive sustainable growth and tackle the biggest global challenges of our time and turn them into growth opportunities. We go beyond the obvious to help the society and companies to grow through technological innovations. We have 80 years of experience of top-level research and science-based results. VTT is at the sweet spot where innovation and business come together.

VTT – beyond the obvious.