Phoenix Tailings

Phoenix Tailings

9.1. Principal R&D Scientist

Woburn, MA · Principal

Sponsorship not specified$150k-$200kDetected 75 days ago
Mass SpectrometryLeadership

About the role

  • About Phoenix Tailings Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly growing clean mining and metals production startup dedicated to sustainable and economic critical metals production.
  • This role is responsible for translating R&D breakthroughs into repeatable, operable, and scalable pilot processes, spanning metallization, rare earth separation, and integrated unit operations.
  • This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in R&D-to-production environments, where processes are still being invented, data is imperfect, and speed matters.

Responsibilities

  • Design and synthesize novel ligands, extractants, and functional molecules for selective recovery and purification of rare earth elements and critical metals.
  • Develop structure-property relationships that connect ligand design, metal selectivity, extraction performance, stability, and process compatibility.
  • Build and optimize synthetic routes for target molecules with a focus on yield, purity, reproducibility, safety, and scalability.
  • Identify new molecular design strategies that expand Phoenix Tailings' capabilities in rare earth and critical metals production.

Requirements

  • 5-10+ years of experience in ligand design, synthetic chemistry, separations chemistry, hydrometallurgy, extractive metallurgy, or applied chemical R&D.
  • Hands-on experience designing, synthesizing, purifying, and characterizing organic, inorganic, organometallic, or coordination chemistry systems.
  • Strong understanding of metal-ligand binding behavior, selectivity tuning, structure-property relationships, and chemical performance optimization.
  • Proficiency with analytical and characterization techniques such as NMR, LC-MS, GC-MS, HPLC, FTIR, UV-Vis, ICP-OES/MS, or related tools.
  • PhD in Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, or a related field.
  • We offer a competitive compensation package that is based on expertise. We also offer the following benefits:
  • This pay range reflects best estimate for the total cash compensation which includes salary + discretionary bonus for this role. Total package may vary based on experience and qualifications.

Compensation

  • $150,000- $200,000 total cash compensation plus equity

Benefits

  • This pay range reflects best estimate for the total cash compensation which includes salary + discretionary bonus for this role.
  • 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee.
  • Unlimited PTO.
  • Learning and development opportunities to grow your skills and career.
  • At Phoenix Tailings, we have an open culture that values learning, and we are looking to grow the team with enthusiastic individuals who share our vision of sustainable mining.
  • Stock Options: Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company.

Company info

  • You are only crazy if you are wrong, it's ok to be wrong ● Lead with Compassion ● Be Resourceful ● Listen ●
  • Phoenix Tailings is looking for a Production Engineering Manager to run and continuously evolve our pilot production facility in Burlington.
  • Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company.

Equal opportunity

  • Phoenix Tailings, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at all levels.
  • Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at all levels.
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This listing is sourced directly from Phoenix Tailings's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.