Senior Scientist – Functional materials, thin films and coatings

Location: St Philips, Bristol, UK
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Salary: £(phone number removed) dependent on experience - Carbometrics Spine Point B/7
Closing date for application: 29/07/2025
Expected start date: ASAP
About Us
Carbometrics is a specialist chemistry company based in Bristol, UK. Our core competency is the design, synthesis, and derivatisation of highly selective and robust carbohydrate-binding molecules. Our mission is to help people with diabetes to live more normal and longer lives. We are using our proprietary Biomimetic Glucose Binding Molecules (GBM) to develop a new glucose sensor chemistry that will enable market-leading Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM).
Our technology is based on over 20 years of cutting-edge research, pioneered by Professor Anthony Davis’ group at the University of Bristol (see: Davis et al., Nature Chemistry, 11, 52-56, 2018). Carbometrics’ goal is to exploit our GBM technology to realise a highly robust and accurate glucose sensing platform that can be used to create a market-leading Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) solution. The company was set up after the founders sold their first company, Ziylo, to Novo Nordisk, which is using the same platform to develop smart insulins (see: Slaaby et al., Nature, 634, (Apply online only), 2024).
About the role
The successful candidate will work as part of the scientific team to support the research and development of Carbometrics technology. We are looking for someone to join the team who has some experience of working in a synthetic materials science, particles, polymer or hydrogel coatings laboratory. To thrive in this role, the successful candidate will have specific experience in functional materials science and experience with incorporating these materials into emulsion phase hydrogel formulations and coating thin films onto a variety of surfaces using multiple techniques. The candidate should also be hands-on and able to work independently, adaptable to ideas and change, resourceful and self-motivated. There is also opportunity to be involved in fabrication and analysis of sensor prototypes incorporating in-house prepared materials, particles and/or polymers. The role is based within our highly innovative team in Bristol’s only dedicated scientific incubator: Science Creates (St Phillips Incubator) (see Science Creates - A Home for Deep Tech in Bristol for more details). Carbometrics is a young, growing company and will offer the successful candidate an interesting and enjoyable work environment with a highly motivated team of scientists plus an opportunity to grow and develop scientific skills and experience.
Senior Scientist requirements
Essential qualifications:
• BSc/MSc in and appropriate field (for example Materials Science, Materials/Polymer/Particle Chemistry)
• Further qualifications in an appropriate field (e.g. PhD) or equivalent industrial experience.
Skills & Experience
Essential:
• Excellent numeracy, literacy, and computer skills.
• Proficiency in key MS Office programs (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Ability to work independently with good problem-solving skills.
• Significant experience of working in a practical laboratory in academia and/or industry
• Expertise in the design, synthesis, characterisation and application of functional materials, polymers, and/or particles (e.g. nano/micro phosphorescent particles, hydrogels etc).
• Experience with emulsion properties of particles in solution and how to stabilise emulsions to avoid aggregation, precipitation or settling of particle (e.g. controlling viscosity, additives etc).
• Experience with advanced coating and film forming techniques (dip/spin-coating, inkjet printing etc) and characterisation of film properties (e.g. layer thickness, uniformity, adhesion etc).
Desirable:
• Experience of synthesising functional materials from elemental reagents by using combustion, calcination, sintering or other high temperature processes.
• Experience with controlling particles sizes of synthesised materials (e.g. from macro to nano scale).
• Experience with characterisation of fluorescent material properties (e.g. abs/em, fluorescence lifetime).
• Experience with surface modification techniques and post-functionalisation chemistries of materials or surfaces (e.g. silica, glass, particles).
• Experience with electrochemical techniques or characterisation of materials and molecules.
• Experience with modern polymerisation synthesis, characterisation and handling of materials.
• Experience of advanced state-of-the-art fabrication techniques such as 3D-printing and microfluidic droplet synthesis.
• Specific experience of implanted medical devices or sensors.
• Computer and/or data science skills (i.e. knowledge of Python or other programming languages).
• Experience of analytical chemistry, synthetic chemistry, fluorescence detection and biophysical techniques.
Roles and Responsibilities
Core:
• General shared facility housekeeping duties as part of the wider scientific team
• Lead materials science/chemistry and analysis under the guidance of the Head of Research
• Liaise with external contractors
Eligibility and Expectations
• In order to qualify for this position, the candidate will need to be authorised to live and work in the UK
• The candidate must have respect for others and a commitment and enthusiasm for high standards and continuous improvement
• At Carbometrics we value diversity. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome employees who meet the requirements of the job regardless of gender, ethnic origin, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation
You may also have experience in the following: Scientist, Materials Science, Particles, Nanoparticles, Polymer Science, Hydrogel Chemistry, Polymer R&D, Science Analysis, Science research, Carbometrics technology, chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, etc
REF-(Apply online only)