Senior Scientist - Encapsulation & Dispersion

(We will also consider exceptional early-career PhD scientists at Scientist level.)

Location: Cambridge, UK. On-site, laboratory-based.
Reports to: [CTO / Head of R&D]
Type: Full-time, permanent.

About us

CPT is a Cambridge deep-tech company developing advanced materials that improve the performance of silicon photovoltaic modules. Our materials are incorporated into the module during manufacture and deliver a performance gain without requiring changes to the underlying solar cell. We are moving from laboratory proof-of-concept towards product, and this role is central to bringing our materials into a manufacturable form.

The role

You will be responsible for the encapsulation and dispersion workstream. The objective is to develop methods to package our proprietary organic molecules and nanoparticles into stable core-shell particles or micelles, most likely with a silica or metal-oxide shell, that protect the active materials and preserve their performance. You will then disperse those particles into polymer encapsulant materials such as EVA, POE and EAP, achieving high optical clarity and long-term stability. You will take the process from bench scale towards pilot-scale batches, working closely with our synthesis and characterisation teams.

Key responsibilities

• Design and develop encapsulation routes (self-assembly, emulsion, and sol-gel or metal-oxide shell chemistry) to package the active organic molecules and nanoparticles into stable core-shell particles.
• Engineer barrier shells that protect the active materials against oxygen and moisture and extend their operational lifetime, while preserving their performance and preventing degradation.
• Develop surface functionalisation and coupling chemistry so that particles are compatible with, and resist re-aggregation in, polymer matrices, and control refractive-index matching to minimise scattering and haze.
• Formulate and process dispersions into polymer encapsulants (EVA, POE, EAP), taking account of the relevant crosslinking and lamination conditions.
• Characterise particles and dispersions using appropriate techniques (for example TEM, DLS, zeta potential, SAXS, XPS, FTIR, TGA and UV-Vis) and correlate structure with performance and stability.
• Conduct design-of-experiments process development and scale batches reproducibly from milligram to kilogram quantities, with clear quality control.
• Handle air- and moisture-sensitive materials under inert conditions, and maintain COSHH and safety standards.
• Collaborate across the synthesis and characterisation teams, contribute to the patent portfolio, and maintain rigorous electronic lab-notebook records.
• Shape the encapsulation strategy, advise on equipment and supplier selection, and mentor junior scientists as the team grows.