Research Analyst, Chemical

**Company Description**:
**Minderoo Foundation** is a modern philanthropic organisation backed by Andrew and Nicola Forrest. Minderoo is one of Asia's largest philanthropies, with teams in Perth, Sydney, Amsterdam, London and Washington DC. Minderoo foundation is dedicated to solving some of the most pressing humanitarian and environmental issues through our eleven initiatives.

This role will be working across the Plastics initiative. The vision of the Plastics initiative is a thriving circular economy in which safe plastics are produced, used, and managed responsibly. Working together with industry and governments, we aim to build a fully circular plastic economy - where plastic waste is a valuable resource, not a pollutant which blights the environment, damages communities and harms human and animal health.

We aim to increase transparency in the plastic supply chain, our Plastic Waste Makers Index identifies the biggest producers of virgin plastic. We are using cutting-edge technology, including machine learning and satellite data, to measure plastic waste from space. Our research is seeking to uncover the harmful effects of plastics on human health.

Our goal is to deepen the world’s understanding of the issue, to better educate and inform companies, lawmakers, consumers and decision-makers.

As **Research Analyst** you will be working across the entire Plastic initiative with a core focus on the _Redesign & Alternatives_ project. In this function you will contribute to the mapping and assessment of emerging technologies with the potential to contribute to a safer and more sustainable plastic economy. Together with the Specialist Chemical & Research and our investment teams you will engage with industry partners and support the due diligence process for promising investments in the sustainable plastics space from a technology perspective. As part of this role, you will support the successful management of our research partnerships.

Reporting to the Specialist, Chemical and Research you will:

- Identify and investigate key technologies and businesses in the safe and sustainable plastics space
- Participate in research (i.e. reviews of the scientific literature as well as company reports) into safe and sustainable plastic alternatives
- Work closely with the Europe-based EU Chemicals Policy specialist
- Provide support in the preparation of manuscripts for publication
- Write independent assessments and recommendations for emerging technologies in the fields of circularity, recycling and biopolymers
- Provide chemistry support and advice to a global team based in Amsterdam, Perth and London
- Act in accordance with the Minderoo Foundation values

This role will be part-time, based in our Perth offices. Flexible working arrangements possible.

**Qualifications**:
To be considered for this role, you will have:

- A master’s degree (or higher) in chemistry, chemical engineering, polymer engineering or a related field
- Work experience in the plastic industry, sustainable resource transformation, recycling, or related industry will be highly regarded

To be successful in this role you will have:

- Research background in chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field. Experience in polymer chemistry, sustainable materials, sustainable resource transformation, advanced recycling, life-cycle analysis, toxicological and hazard assessments, or techno-economic analysis will be highly regarded.
- A strong interest in emerging technologies and sustainability
- Keen interest and understanding of fundamental industrial chemical processes
- Ability to learn quickly and think critically
- An aptitude for decision-making and problem-solving
- Ability to work independently, with good attention to detail
- Ability to deliver high-quality work within deadlines
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, including a proven track record in scientific publications
- Capacity to motivate and overcome challenges
- Sound data analytical skills

**Additional Information**:
Our values:

- Humility
- Courage & Determination
- Empowerment
- Enthusiasm
- Family
- Frugality
- Generating Ideas
- Integrity
- Safety
- Stretch Targets

These values are at the heart of everything we do. Carry these with you and carry them far