Paper & Coating Engineer

Overview

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Notpla is at the leading edge of sustainable innovation, creating natural alternatives to single-use plastic packaging that are engineered to create a healthier planet. We develop and manufacture natural packaging solutions from seaweed and plants, and operate as an innovative, action-oriented scale-up.

Led by strong values, Notpla gives employees autonomy within their domain. We offer competitive salaries, the potential for EMI Share Options, a zero-carbon pension scheme, discounts with local businesses, and subsidised social activities. Our office-first hybrid policy supports productivity while maintaining a vibrant and collaborative environment. We are a diverse, social business committed to making plastic disappear.

We are seeking a highly skilled and proactive Paper & Coating Engineer with industry experience in paper and coatings to join our growing R&D team. This role is critical in developing and optimising seaweed-based formulations, ensuring they meet performance requirements and can be scaled for commercial use. The Paper & Coating Engineer will work closely with a formulation scientist and a process engineer, collaborating on research, formulation, and process improvements.

This is an exciting opportunity to drive impactful R&D work for commercial projects.

• Formulation Development & Optimisation:
  Design and optimise seaweed-based coatings and paper formulations, balancing properties such as adhesion, flexibility, barrier performance, and biodegradability.
• Conduct rheology studies and material characterisation to fine-tune formulations for specific applications.
• Identify and integrate novel raw materials to enhance performance and sustainability.
• Work on material compatibility studies to ensure formulations meet industrial and regulatory standards.
• Develop prototype samples and conduct performance testing under real-world conditions.

• Analytical Chemistry & Material Characterisation:
  Develop and validate analytical test methods to ensure consistency and reproducibility in formulation performance.
• Assess film-forming properties, barrier properties, and mechanical performance of coatings and substrates.
• Interpret data and provide insights to refine formulations based on performance outcomes.

• Scale-Up & Trials:
  Work with the process engineer to transition lab-scale formulations into pilot-scale and commercial-scale production.
• Participate in pilot trials and factory production runs, ensuring formulations perform as expected in real-world conditions.
• Troubleshoot formulation issues during scale-up, collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Document scale-up findings and optimise processes for efficiency and reproducibility.

• Project Management:
  Drive formulation work streams from concept to execution, meeting key milestones on time.
• Develop and maintain project timelines, coordinating with internal teams and external partners.
• Communicate project progress with internal stakeholders, providing clear updates and risk assessments.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  Align formulation strategies with process capabilities and translate complex findings for non-technical stakeholders.

• Quality Assurance & Documentation:
  Ensure formulations meet regulatory and industrial standards, document all parameters and testing results, and create SOPs to ensure reproducibility.

• External Partnership Building:
  Identify and engage external partners, such as material suppliers, labs, contract manufacturers, and technology consultants, to fast-track scale-up activities.
• Coordinate and oversee development activities with partners to ensure project alignment with company standards.

Education & Industry Background

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of industry experience in coatings, paper-based materials, or polymer formulation.
• Strong background in analytical chemistry and material characterization techniques.

Technical Skills

• Expertise in natural polymer coatings, surface treatments, and film-forming properties.
• Hands-on experience with…