San Diego, CA 

About OHR

OHR is pioneering a new era of chemical manufacturing built on Creationary Chemistry™ , a platform that merges biological intelligence with primordial chemistry to create essential molecules in ways that are cleaner, smarter, and independent from traditional oil-based supply chains. We design and scale chemistry that matters most, delivering strategic chemicals with deterministic carbon chains and minimal contaminants, strengthening industrial resilience and global sovereignty. Our work spans advanced synthetic pathways, catalysis, and scalable process design, with real-world impact across fuels, materials, and critical industrial sectors.

At OHR, Scientists sit at the center of invention. This role exists for chemists who are ready to own chemistry programs , not just contribute to them—designing reactions, generating insight, and pushing work forward from discovery through scale-ready development.

We’re looking for a Heterogeneous Catalyst Design Chemist who wants to operate with real autonomy in the lab, guide reaction strategy across programs, and serve as a technical anchor within the chemistry team. You’ll work across synthetic discovery, process optimization, catalysis, and scale-up—turning first-principles chemistry into deployed technology.

If you’re motivated by responsibility, technical depth, and seeing your chemistry leave the lab, this role is for you.

You’ll lead and execute chemistry programs within OHR’s Creationary Chemistry™ platform, owning reaction design, catalyst design/selection, data quality, and technical progression across one or more product pathways.

In this role, you will:

• Uphold and exemplify excellence in laboratory safety, chemical hygiene, and responsible research practices
• Design, execute, and lead heterogeneous catalyst design, discovery, selection, and optimization experiments across OHR R&D programs
• Discover and develop novel base and precious metal-on-solid-support catalysts for reactions leverage OHRs
• Build, characterize, and test in-house solid catalysts for diverse reactions
• Identify and manage external technical interactions with catalyst suppliers and partners
• Experimentally validate reactions using the library catalysts to build data packages supporting scale up
• Identify and procure catalyst preparation equipment and draft catalyst construction and characterization experimental workflows
• Draft, optimize, and train colleagues on technical procedures and specialized reactions
• Prepare detailed experimental data packages and protocols to support technology transfer to Manufacturing and external partners
• Contribute to research strategy and IP development to strengthen and defend the Creationary Chemistry™ platform
• Partner with Project Management and leadership to track R&D progress, milestones, and KPIs

This role is for someone who wants to do the work. You’re excited to be in the lab, comfortable operating in environments where not everything is defined yet, and motivated by building chemistry systems from the ground up.

You may have experience in academic, industrial, or startup labs—but you’re drawn to environments where your experiments directly shape direction, not just reports. At OHR, Chemists and Scientists are trusted contributors whose work materially advances the platform.

Required qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Chemistry or related field
• Preference for a Master’s or PhD in Inorganic Chemistry
• A strong record of laboratory safety and chemical hygiene
• Hands-on experience contributing to chemistry R&D projects, including technical work in one or more of the following:
• Heterogeneous catalyst design and construction
• Heterogeneous catalyst discovery, screen, and optimization
• Heterogeneous reaction optimization
• Strong experimental documentation and data analysis skills

Nice to have:

• Experience working with international technical teams or external partners
• Familiarity with export-controlled or restricted technical information

• Onsite, 5 days per week, in a collaborative and fast-moving R&D environment
• Hands-on work in BSL-1 and HazMat laboratories with flammable, corrosive, and other hazardous materials
• Up to ~10% travel to support collaborators, facilities, or program needs

OHR is an equal opportunity employer. We believe breakthrough science comes from diverse perspectives, and we’re committed to building an inclusive, respectful, and ambitious workplace.