About Us

Radical Catalyst is redefining the future of plastic with a patented, mineral-based additive that enables conventional plastics to biodegrade—without altering how they’re manufactured, used, or perform. Our technology integrates seamlessly into existing production lines and works across a wide range of polymer families, offering manufacturers and brands a high-performance, drop-in solution for plastic sustainability.

Developed to address the real-world challenge of plastic waste, our catalyst initiates a controlled, two-stage degradation process that ultimately transforms plastic into natural elements like biomass, water, and carbon dioxide.

We’re a small, scrappy startup with bold ambitions and promising technology. We’re not here to replace plastic. We’re here to radically improve it. 

Radical is looking for an R&D Materials Engineer who is excited to join our team and help combat plastic pollution!

About The Role

As our Materials Engineer, you’ll be a core member of the technical team who will help toS turn ideas into experiments, and experiments into data. You’ll be hands-on in the lab—preparing samples, running tests, analyzing data, and figuring out what works (and what doesn’t). You will help us to prove our technology eliminates microplastics, define thresholds for biodegradability, simulate outdoor performance, and a bunch more.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in designing and executing lab- or pilot-scale experiments on the degradation of our materials
• Report technical outcomes, impacts, and recommendations clearly and thoroughly
• Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data
• Contribute to technical discussions and help iterate on designs and hypotheses
• Document procedures, observations, and outcomes clearly and consistently
• Work across disciplines to troubleshoot and solve unexpected challenges
• Help build and maintain lab infrastructure, test rigs, or custom setups
• Occasionally wear a few hats outside your job description—it’s a startup, after all
• Potential for travel within the US

About You

• BS in Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field and 0-5 yrs of experience
• Hands-on experience in a materials, chemical, or mechanical engineering lab
• Detailed and organized in recording plans, data, and results of all work
• Experience with FTIR, GPC, tensile testing, etc.
• Comfortable working independently with minimal supervision
• Highly proficient in technical writing and statistical data analysis
• Safety-first mindset in labs and manufacturing facilities
• Excited to participate and collaborate in a very small team setting
• Previous experience with JMP, Minitab, MATLAB, and/or Python preferred
• Open and proactive communicator

Nice-to-have Experience

• Product development
• Environmental testing
• Soil microbes
• Customer-facing experience
• project management

In order to be considered for this role, in addition to your application here, please send a note to [email protected] telling us why you are interested in this role and this company.

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Unfortunately, we are unable to provide relocation assistance at this time.

Even if you don't check every box but see yourself contributing, please apply! Help us build an inclusive community.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.