Who are we?
Seloxium Limited is a dynamic and diverse spin-out company from the University of Oxford. We are revolutionising clean growth and the circular economy within the mining & refining sectors by selectively recovering high-value metals from in-process or effluent water streams. Our multi-patented ‘selective flocculation’ technology will change the way we mine, refine and process these metals, offering a greener and more sustainable solution to metallic resource recovery and reuse.
We are a fast-paced company at an exciting stage of development, scaling our operations across two sites — an R&D laboratory and back office function in Oxford and a pilot processing plant in the North East of England. As we grow, we are looking for a Development Chemist, able to commute to or living in Oxford, to take fundamental chemical concepts and formulate or refine safe, sustainable, and cost-effective products ready for the commercial market to join our team.
About the Role:
As a lab-based Development Chemist, you will be responsible for planning and leading a variety of projects at different stages of commercial readiness. You will be expected to design and conduct experiments in synthetic organic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, and selective metal extraction employing SelectalTM technology. With a particular focus on metal recovery from organic and process feeds using liquid>liquid extraction and related separation techniques. In addition, Seloxium is a growing company and as such, you will be able to contribute to all aspects of the business and be supported in any additional projects you wish to undertake.
This role would suit a researcher with experience in polymer chemistry, metal removal methods, wastewater treatment, or a related field. You should be willing to mentor junior colleagues in a small team and be able communicate technical information effectively to individuals from other disciplines or from non-technical backgrounds.
It is likely that there will be an opportunity to work at Seloxium sites within the UK and globally.
We are looking for a passionate innovator who is inspired by the sustainable and circular economy and wants to help build Seloxium into a green and profitable company that can make a real impact in achieving our goals.
Requirements
This role is for you if you have :
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A postgraduate degree (PhD, MSc, etc.) in a relevant field (chemistry, polymer chemistry, organometallic chemistry, etc.)
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2+ years experience in a laboratory setting
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Knowledge of metal coordination chemistry (e.g., ligand field theory, HSAB)
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Practical expertise in liquid>liquid extraction: solvent selection, phase system design, stripping, and phase separation troubleshooting
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Experience in metal recovery from organic feeds (e.g. homogeneous catalyst residues, loaded organic phases, process solvents)
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Working knowledge of hydrometallurgical unit operations: leaching, pH control, precipitation, and solid–liquid separation
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Working knowledge of analytical techniques common in organic and inorganic chemistry, ideally for solution phase polymeric species (NMR, chromatography, ICP, spectroscopic analysis, etc.)
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Understanding of COSHH and risk assessments in a laboratory setting
Ideally you can also show:
- Working knowledge of polymer-surfactant interactions, aggregation behaviour, and colloidal stability
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Working knowledge of polymerization chemistry, polymer analysis, wastewater treatment, or alternative flocculation technologies.
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Experience with recycling or stripping metals from polymer–metal floc or precipitate
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Familiarity with membrane separation or polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF)
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Experience/Understanding in developing, scaling, and manufacturing chemicals at pilot-scale (>kg scale).
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Experience with selective metal separation technologies (Ion exchange, membranes, solvent extraction, and electrolysis) in a manufacturing or environmental context.
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Experience working in an SME/Start-up environment.
Our Recruitment Process:
We want all our applicants to enjoy the best recruitment process possible, so we are sharing our recruitment process with you. Please make us aware of any necessary adjustments we can make for you, so that together we can achieve the best recruitment experience with us:
Benefits
What Seloxium Offers
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A competitive salary
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25 days annual leave plus UK bank holidays
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Excellent employee package, including generous pension, private healthcare and share options
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This is an onsite role in Oxford but we offer flexible working arrangements to ensure your work-life balance with core hours of 10am - 3pm.
