Principal Scientist- Mining

Who are we:

Locus Fermentation Solutions is a USA-based company delivering bio-enhanced specialty chemicals at industrial scale. Through precision fermentation and integrated chemistry, we produce glycolipid biosurfactants designed to improve performance across oil and gas, mining, agriculture, and industrial applications. Our biomanufacturing platform connects strain selection, fermentation, and formulation design to create functional molecules that behave predictably in real-world systems—bridging the gap between biology and performance chemistry.

What you’ll be doing:

We are hiring a highly experienced Principal Scientist to shape scientific strategy and deliver high-impact research results across our R&D portfolio. In this role, you will independently lead complex research programs, develop advanced experimental strategies, and translate scientific insights into product and process specifications that guide scale-up and commercialization. You will leverage deep subject-matter expertise to develop innovative solutions, contribute to patents and publications, and serve as a recognized technical authority within the organization.

As a Principal Scientist, you will also mentor scientific and technical staff, collaborate with cross-functional partners, and represent the company in external scientific communities. You will play a critical role in strengthening scientific excellence, driving safety and data-integrity standards, and supporting key decisions related to product development, technology investment, and organizational capability. This is an ideal role for an accomplished scientist seeking to make a significant enterprise-level impact.

The primary focus of this role will be the development of specialty chemical reagents that enhance the efficiency and sustainability of mining operations, particularly in flotation and leaching applications.

Location: The Woodlands, TX (onsite). Relocation assistance available.

Essential Job Functions Related to Mining:

• Lead and support the development, formulation, and testing of new chemical products (collectors, frothers, depressants, modifiers, leaching agents, etc.) tailored for specific mineral extraction challenges.
• Conduct laboratory-scale experiments, including flotation tests, leaching studies, and reagent performance evaluations on various ore types.
• Perform on-site trials and plant support activities to validate laboratory results and optimize reagent application in real-world mining environments.
• Analyze metallurgical data (recovery rates, grade, kinetics, reagent consumption, etc.) using statistical tools and prepare technical reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.
• Stay current with advancements in mineral processing chemistry, sustainable extraction technologies, and environmental regulations affecting reagent use.
• Work cross-functionally with sales, production, and quality teams to support product commercialization and customer technical service.
• Strong technical background in surface chemistry, colloid science, or hydrometallurgy as applied to mineral extraction.
• Proven ability to design experiments, interpret complex data, and draw actionable conclusions.
• Familiarity with reagent chemistry, formulation stability, and interactions with different ore mineralogy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information to both scientific and operational audiences.
• Ability to work independently in a laboratory setting and collaboratively in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Willingness to travel to mine sites for trials and technical support (estimated 20–30%).

Key Responsibilities of a Principal Scientist:

Research and Product Development (60%)

• Perform highly complex, non-routine, and specialized testing requiring expert-level skill.
• Define problem statements, technical strategies, and experimental roadmaps for high-value programs.
• Operate and troubleshoot analytical instrumentation; ensure data quality and reproducibility.
• Adhere to established lab practices for new product development, stability, and commercialization.
• Identify opportunities to improve testing workflows and reliability.
• Create SOPs…