Project Engineer - Chemist Critical Metals (All Genders)

BIOWEG is a purpose-driven company developing bio-based alternatives to fossil-based ingredients using Biotech and Green Chemistry.

We create sustainable products that match or even outperform fossil-based alternatives while remaining price competitive. Our main products, MicBeads (sensory micropowder) and RheoWeg (rheology modifier), are used by leading cosmetics and chemical companies.

We are driving to create a better world and a lasting, sustainable impact. Join our diverse and relentless team to revolutionize and drive green innovation across multiple industries.

Overview

BIOWEG is building next-generation recycling and separation technology to recover critical metals (incl. rare earth elements) from challenging mineral and waste streams. This role is for a hands‑on Bioleaching Scientist who is strong in the chemistry of leaching (kinetics, speciation, acidity/redox control, precipitation, impurity management). Bioleaching (leaching chemistry) experience is a must.

You will design and run bioleaching experiments and translate them into robust, scalable workflows. Typical bioleaching “types / modes” you’ll encounter include:

• Direct vs. indirect bioleaching (contact vs. non‑contact mechanisms)
• Process formats from shake flasks/columns up to heap/vat/tank systems (depending on scale and material)
• And you’ll interface with downstream steps (depending on the stream): filtration/solid‑liquid separation, selective precipitation, ion exchange/adsorption, solvent extraction concepts, and (nice‑to‑have) electrowinning

Your Role

• Plan and run bioleaching campaigns on minerals, concentrates, industrial residues, or recycled materials (lab scale to pilot logic)
• Optimize leaching performance via pH/Eh control, oxidant balance, pulp density, particle size, temperature, residence time, and impurity management
• Build mass balances for metals, acids, and major ions across time (kinetics and yield)

Analytical monitoring (acids, metals and process control). You will set up practical measurement routines for:

• pH and ORP/Eh monitoring (ORP is often a key control parameter in bioleaching and ties strongly to Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ behavior in many systems)
• Metal concentration in leach liquor using ICP‑OES/ICP‑MS (typical in bioleaching studies and scale‑up monitoring)
• Total acidity/free acidity via titration (routine control method)
• Organic acids via HPLC (common, reliable approach for organic acid quantification)
• Organic acids and inorganic anions via ion chromatography when matrices are complex

Separation collaboration (TU Berlin and BIOWEG)

• Work closely with TU Berlin partners on integrating leachates with selective capture/separation concepts (e.g., adsorption/column workflows)
• Prepare defined leach solutions, impurity profiles, and stability windows to support selective metal capture

Documentation & scale‑up readiness

• Maintain clean lab documentation, SOPs, and decision‑ready data packages for internal and partner reviews
• Translate bench results into “engineering‑friendly” specs: expected acid consumption, yields, impurity constraints, and downstream requirements