Staff Scientist

We are looking for a Staff Scientist in the field of Homogenous Catalysis to join our team. This person will report to Senior Manager, Intermediate Catalysis Department in Corporate Research. This role will be located at SABIC Technology Center at KAUST (STC-K), in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This position will be responsible to shape & guide research and development projects in order to apply, strengthen, and create new capabilities in homogenous catalysis.  This will include developing and putting into action plans for new facilities and equipment. The successful candidate will translate fundamental chemical science to applied problems, accelerating the improvement or development of catalysts to address SABIC long-term strategies, that would give SABIC a competitive technology edge, in collaboration with scientists and engineers in Corporate and Business Research teams.

Job Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the research, development and optimization of Homogenous catalysts for industrial processes and provide the necessary support for their implementation and commercialization.
• Conduct in-depth research and development activities to identify new Oligomerization catalyst formulations, air-/moisture-sensitive organometallic, and organic/inorganic synthetic methodologies to improve catalyst performance, stability, and selectivity.
• Innovate new cost effective Agri-Nutrients’ solutions including additives, promotors, etc. development focusing on enhanced efficiency Fertilizers.
• Design and execute complex experiments, analyze and interpret data, and generate technical reports and presentations to communicate results to internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineers, chemists, and process scientists, to support the scale-up and commercialization efforts of catalyst technologies, ensuring seamless transfer from lab-scale to commercial-scale production.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior researchers and actively contribute to the development of a strong technical catalysis team.
• Defines and leads the design and strategy for the global scientific approach from planning & first principles right through to improvement & optimization across the business.
• Championing new science and technology initiatives that improve Corporate Research to provide Homogenous catalysis solutions to internal stakeholders.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in catalyst sciences and technology through literature review, reporting, market trends, attendance at conferences, and collaboration with internal and external partners to develop technical strategies and identify competencies necessary for the execution the business strategy. 
• Taking personal responsibility for the quality, integrity, communication and delivery of science on projects, and maintaining strong operational relationships with your collaborators/ stakeholders.
• Maintain a safe and compliant working environment, adhering to all relevant regulations, standards, and guidelines

Qualification

Candidates must have rich industrial experience in homogenous catalyst design, synthesis and testing. The ideal candidate will have:

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field with a minimum of 10 years of experience in research, development and scale up of catalysts for industrial applications.
• Proven track record of successfully developing and scaling catalysts from lab-scale to pilot (and ideally to commercial-scale production), with a very strong expertise in industrial catalyst design, synthesis, characterization, and evaluation, with a solid understanding of catalyst structure-activity relationships.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to design and execute complex experiments and interpret data to make informed decisions.

• Good understanding of catalyst characterization techniques applied to the design and improvement of homogenous catalysts.
• Know-how in catalyst manufacturing and scale-up to commercial quantities.
• Ability to generate IP, partner with IP analyst to understand and use IP landscaping to develop solutions to complex/conflicting customer and business needs
• Advanced skills in using statistical data analysis, design of experiments, automated laboratory technologies and kinetics to solve demanding problems in catalysis.
• Advanced data management with knowledge of predictive modelling and visualization would be advantageous.
• Familiarity with relevant regulations, safety practices, and intellectual property considerations in industrial catalyst development.

Competencies

• Self-motivated and results-oriented with a clear personal focus on delivering demanding project and team objectives.
• Ability to challenge the status quo, approaching challenges with a growth mindset.
• Strong leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to mentor and develop junior scientists and engineers.
• Good communications using written and verbal media; able to advocate and justify personal opinion, but equally able to take on board differing opinions and work collaboratively. Has the ability to effectively communicate technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Confident to make decisions with integrity to support the business.
• Enthusiastic and keen for challenging new experiences and learning.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary team environment.
• Role model a high standard of technical work with ability to simultaneously deliver value to multiple projects.
• Demonstrates a clear growth mindset and genuine commitment to the time and effort needed to develop oneself and others.
• Understands customers and uses that insight to provide value.
• Continuously support a culture of continuous improvement, providing regular feedback that enhances team performance.