Your Mission

Radical Dot is hiring a Separation & Purification Process Lead (Chemist/Scientist) (m/w/o) to drive the development of the downstream processing and product recovery sections of our cutting-edge chemical recycling technology.

Radical Dot transforms mixed plastic waste into high-value chemical building blocks. Moving beyond traditional methods like pyrolysis and gasification, we are pioneering a sustainable and cost-efficient solution for the chemical industry.

As an early-stage start-up, we are seeking a hands-on and adaptable leader who thrives in a dynamic lab environment. You will play a critical role in leading and delivering targeted research projects, contributing directly to our mission to tackle the global plastics crisis.

Tasks

Responsibilities will include:

• Lead the development of the downstream processing section of the chemical recycling technology, including associated R&D activities
• Design and execute experimental programs to characterize product streams, phase behaviour, and solubility regimes relevant to separation
• Develop and scale separation concepts such as flash separation, precipitation, and crystallization with a focus on economic viability
• Own the conceptual and detailed design of filtration systems, aligning process constraints with appropriate equipment selection
• Evaluate and implement alternative process flowsheets to improve performance, operability, and robustness
• Partner with analytical and process teams to define and design suitable characterization methods for solid and liquid phases across the process
• Working closely with the Engineering and Science teams in a collaborative "one-team" mindset to deepen the scientific understanding of our chemistry and optimize our processes
• Supervising one or more students contributing to the project's overall objectives, if opportunities arise

Requirements

Your Skillset

• MSc with ~5 years of relevant experience or PhD with ~2+ years of postdoctoral or industrial experience in chemical engineering, technical chemistry, or process development
• Hands-on experience in separation and purification process development, ideally in an R&D or scale-up setting
• Experience with organic acid separations is a strong plus
• Familiarity with solid–liquid separation, filtration, distillation and extraction technologies
• Proficiency in relevant analytical techniques (GC, HPLC, etc.)
• Knowledge of dicarboxylic acid chemistry is an advantage
• Startup, pilot plant, or industrial process development experience is a plus
• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in German is optional.

Your Mindset

• Innovative and creative, ready to find solutions for problems no one has solved before.
• Passionate about impact and contributing to the fight against climate change.
• Adaptable and flexible, to embrace the fast-paced changing environment of start-ups.
• Collaborative, as the world’s biggest problems are solved as a team.
• Have strong safety awareness, this is still chemistry!
• Personal growth mindset, ready to take more and different responsibilities with the growth of the company.

Benefits

The Offered Set Up

• Full-time role (40h/week)
• Location: Garching on TUM Campus (until December 2026, we will move in 2027 to another location in Munich)
• Starting Date: ASAP
• Compensation: 60-70k€ (to be negotiated based on experience)

🙌 Want to join the ride?

Send us your CV at careers@radicaldot.com.

Even if you don't meet every single qualification mentioned above, share with us why you believe you'd be an excellent match for this role in your application! Your unique skills and perspectives could be the perfect fit for our team.