In this role, you will apply deep synthetic chemistry expertise to design, synthesize and evaluate next-generation sorbent materials for Direct Air Capture. You will take scientific ownership of early-stage material innovation, connect synthesis decisions with performance data and help identify the most promising sorbent concepts for further development. You will play a central role in coordinating across stakeholders to ensure alignment of research priorities, technical development and broader organization goals. The role is ideal for a hands-on chemist who enjoys driving technical work independently while collaborating closely with experts across characterization, engineering, scale-up, legal, and external innovation.

This role is a strong fit if you:

You are a hands-on synthetic chemist, ideally with experience in material synthesis or functional material development.
You enjoy working as an individual contributor and technical expert, while effectively coordinating with cross-functional stakeholders.
You want to stay close to lab-based experimentation, synthesis, characterization, and scientific problem-solving.
You are motivated by early-stage R&D and material innovation, with a passion for dynamic, discovery-driven environments.

What you will do:

Design and synthesize new sorbent materials: You develop and improve sorbent chemistries for Direct Air Capture, with a focus on performance, durability, cost and scalability.

Evaluate material performance: You plan experiments, analyze characterization and adsorption data, and connect synthesis decisions with structure-property relationships.

Identify promising concepts: You screen internal and external sorbent concepts against clear technical, commercial, regulatory, scalability, and IP-related criteria.

Drive hands-on laboratory work: You run safe, well-documented synthesis and testing campaigns, maintain structured material data, and translate results into recommendations.

Collaborate and coordinate across disciplines: You work closely with experts in characterization, engineering, scale-up, legal, patents and external innovation to move the most promising sorbent concepts forward.

Synthetic chemistry expertise: You have strong hands-on experience in synthetic organic or inorganic chemistry. You have experience in porous, functionalized, polymeric or amine-based. Experience with other sorbent-relevant materials is a plus.
Relevant experience: You bring at least 5 years of experience in synthetic chemistry, material synthesis or material development, including applied R&D, start-up, industrial or technology development experience.
Chemistry background: You hold an advanced degree in organic, inorganic, synthetic, materials chemistry or a related field. A PhD is a plus.
Scientific ownership: You are comfortable leading your own workstreams, interpreting data critically and translating findings into clear recommendations.
Clear communication: You communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders and are proficient in English.

Our promise: At Climeworks, you are accepted for who you are, and we are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply – regardless of background, identity, or experience. Studies show that women and individuals from minority backgrounds often only apply for jobs when they meet 100% of the listed criteria. If this sounds like you, don’t hold back. If you see a match between your profile and what we’re looking for, we encourage you to apply. Let’s tackle one of humankind’s greatest challenges together.

What we offer:

Time Off: Enjoy 25 paid vacation days every year, plus public holidays.
Flexibility: Work how it suits you best. We offer a hybrid work setup and up to 4 weeks of remote work annually within any EU country.
Ownership: Fair base pay paired with an equity package – because your contributions matter.
Family Support: Inclusive parental leave.
Continuous Learning: Dedicated budget to invest in your professional growth.
Referral Rewards: Help us grow our team and earn bonuses for your successful referrals.

Salary: At Climeworks, salary ranges are assigned to a job based on the level of seniority and the location specific market median of similar jobs according to external benchmark surveys. Individual compensation depends on your skills, experience, and the value you bring to the team.

Formalities:

This position is based in Opfikon, Zurich, and we ask that you work onsite at least three days per week.
The percentage in the job title means flexibility – choose full-time or part-time based on what works for you.
We do not accept candidate profiles through recruitment agencies.

Senior Synthetic Chemist – Sorbent Innovation Lead (80–100%)