Laboratory Research Analyst

At Chain Craft, we turn food waste into raw materials. What the food industry discards, we convert into bio-based chemicals that replace fossil oils and palm oil. We are rewriting the chemistry chain: from linear to circular.

We are in a growth phase. Processes are being built, improved, and sometimes rethought. The analytical laboratory plays a central role in all of this: it produces the data that drives production decisions and shapes the direction of research.

As a Laboratory Research Analyst, your role consists of two clearly distinct parts, and that combination is what makes it interesting.

In the morning, you work as a Lab Analyst. You receive samples from the demo plant and the R&D team, prepare them, and run analyses on the HPLC, GCFID, TCD, and TIC-TOC-TN. You report results, flag deviations, and make sure the daily flow of measurements runs smoothly. This work demands precision and discipline: the protocols the team has developed are your guide, and you make sure they are followed.

In the afternoon, you shift into a different mode. You become a Research Analyst. You think along about how the laboratory can be further professionalized. Methods that already work well but could be more robust or efficient. Analyses where the question arises whether different equipment or gases would yield better results. Sometimes that means a reflection session with the team about what stood out in the data that week.

Sometimes it is a project group building an entirely new measurement portfolio, because the demo plant or R&D team needs a measurement in a year’s time that the lab cannot yet perform. You investigate what is needed, run pilots, send samples to external parties, and work towards a validated method that can then be picked up routinely by the lab team.

On the lab side, you work closely with Robin, our Senior Analyst. On the research side, you work directly with Bas, QHSE and Laboratory Manager.

• Performing daily analyses on HPLC, GCFID, TCD, and TIC-TOC-TN for the demo plant and R&D team.
• Receiving and preparing samples, and accurately reporting and storing results.
• Flagging deviations outside specifications to operators and the Senior Analyst in a timely manner.
• Maintaining laboratory equipment and following and keeping SOPs up to date.
• Contributing to method development, validations, and the implementation of new analytical techniques.
• Participating in project groups focused on improving and expanding the analytical portfolio.
• Managing inventory of chemicals, laboratory gases, and consumables.
• Guiding colleagues and interns in the use of laboratory equipment.

You are someone who feels at home in an environment that is not yet fully streamlined. At Chain Craft, structure is something that is being built, not something that was already in place. That means you get real room to shape things, but you also need to take the initiative to do so.

You hold an HBO degree in Chemistry or a related field and understand how validations work. Work experience is a plus but not a hard requirement. This can be your first job, as long as you know what you are doing in the lab and are curious about the research side of the work.

You are precise, think critically about your own results, and switch easily between routine execution and analytical investigation. And if the day turns out differently than planned? You see that as part of the job, not as a disruption.

• HBO level of thinking and working in Chemistry or a related field.
• Knowledge of and affinity with method development and validations.
• Good command of English, both spoken and written.
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis.
• Precision, independence, and a proactive attitude.
• Affinity with working in an organization that is still very much in development.

At Chain Craft, you contribute to a better world by making sustainable innovation a reality. We offer a stimulating and informal environment with an international team that shares a mission to replace fossil and palm-based chemicals with circular alternatives.

• A salary in line with your background and experience.
• Travel allowance, including for cycling or walking.
• Flexible working arrangements, with the option to work from home up to two days per week.
• A young and engaged team that also does things together outside of work.
• Room to help build a laboratory that is still very much taking shape.
• Participation in our Stock Appreciation Rights (SAR) program.