Senior Synthetic Chemist - Sorbent Innovation Lead (80-100%)

• 24 June 2026 • 80 - 100% • Indefinite duration • Opfikon, Zurich In this role, you will apply deep expertise in synthetic chemistry to design, synthesize, and evaluate next-generation sorbent materials for direct air capture. You will take scientific responsibility for early-phase material innovation, link synthesis decisions to performance data, and help identify the most promising sorbent concepts for further development. You will play a central role in coordination between stakeholders to ensure alignment of research priorities, technical development, and broader organizational goals. This position is ideal for a hands-on chemist who enjoys leading technical work autonomously while collaborating closely with experts in characterization, engineering, scale-up, legal, and external innovation. This position is particularly suitable for you if you: #### • Are a hands-on synthetic chemist, ideally with experience in material synthesis or functional material development. • Enjoy working as an individual contributor and technical expert, while effectively coordinating with cross-functional stakeholders. • Wish to remain close to laboratory experimentation, synthesis, characterization, and scientific problem-solving. • Are motivated by early-phase R&D and material innovation, with a passion for dynamic and discovery-driven environments. What you will do: #### • Design and synthesize new sorbent materials: You develop and improve sorbent chemistries for direct air capture, focusing on performance, durability, cost, and scalability. • Evaluate material performance: You plan experiments, analyze characterization and adsorption data, and link synthesis decisions to structure-property relationships. • Identify promising concepts: You evaluate internal and external sorbent concepts according to clearly defined technical, commercial, regulatory, scalability, and intellectual property criteria. • Conduct practical laboratory work: You carry out safe and well-documented synthesis and testing campaigns, maintain structured material data, and translate results into recommendations. • Collaborate and coordinate across disciplines: You work closely with experts in characterization, engineering, scale-up, legal, patents, and external innovation to advance the most promising sorbent concepts. • Expertise in synthetic chemistry: You have solid practical experience in synthetic organic or inorganic chemistry. You have experience with porous, functionalized, polymeric, or amine-based materials. Experience with other materials relevant to sorbents is a plus. • Relevant experience: You bring at least 5 years of experience in synthetic chemistry, material synthesis, or material development, including applied R&D, start-up, industry, or technological development. • Chemistry education: You hold an advanced degree in organic, inorganic, synthetic, or materials chemistry, or a related field. A PhD is a plus. • Scientific responsibility: You are comfortable leading your own workstreams, interpreting data critically, and translating results into clear recommendations. • Clear communication: You communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders and are proficient in English. Our promise: At Climeworks, you are accepted as you are, and we are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. We encourage *all* qualified candidates to apply - regardless of their background, identity, or experience. Studies show that women and people from minority backgrounds often only apply when they meet 100% of the listed criteria. If this sounds like you, do not hesitate. If you see a match between your profile and what we are looking for, we encourage you to apply. Together, let's tackle one of humanity's greatest challenges. What we offer: • Leave: Enjoy 25 days of paid leave per year, plus public holidays. • Flexibility: Work in the way that suits you best. We offer a hybrid working model and up to 4 weeks of teleworking per year in any EU country. • Empowerment: A fair base salary accompanied by an equity package - because your contributions matter. • Family support: Inclusive parental leave. • Continuous learning: A dedicated budget for your professional development. • Referral rewards: Help us grow our team and earn bonuses for your successful recommendations. Salary: At Climeworks, salary ranges are assigned to a position based on seniority level and the local market median for similar jobs according to external surveys. Individual compensation depends on your skills, experience, and the value you bring to the team. Formalities: • This position is based in Opfikon, Zurich, and we require you to work on-site at least three days per week. • The percentage in the job title means flexibility - choose full-time or part-time according to what suits you. • We do not accept candidate profiles via recruitment agencies.