R&D Specialist Carbon Technology

The Biomaterials division offers a wide variety of pulp grades to meet the demands of paper, board, tissue, textile and hygiene product producers. We maximize the business potential of the side streams of our processes, such as tall oil and turpentine from biomass. Based on our strong innovation approach, all fractions of biomass, like lignin and sugars, hold potential for use in various applications.






The Division’s Innovation function has a key role in developing new applications and solutions, addressing well-identified customer needs. The Innovation Centre in Stockholm and our locations in Imatra and Karlstad host versatile talents in research, business development and marketing, working together to reach our ambitious goals.






As part of these innovation activities Biomaterials Innovation is developing and commercializing bio-based carbon materials for energy storage, such as Li-ion batteries. The global battery market is expected to expand rapidly within the next ten years, enabling new solutions in the fields of consumer electronics, e-mobility and residential energy storage. With our renewable bio-based materials we contribute to making these solutions more environmentally responsible. As important milestone in our mission, Stora Enso is currently constructing a pilot plant for the production of bio-based carbons at our Sunila mill in southern Finland.






Biomaterials Innovation is now looking for a R&D (Senior) Specialist in Carbon Technology to join our team. The position is located at the Innovation Centre for Biomaterials in Sickla/Stockholm.






As Specialist in Carbon Technology, your purpose will be to develop and commercialize innovative carbon-based materials, derived from renewable biogenic resources, for sustainable batteries and other energy storage solutions.








The Role






Your main responsibilities will be to:


Design, conduct, and contribute to scientific research and development activities in the field of electrochemical energy storage, with a focus on carbon-based anode materials for batteries and supercapacitors.
Create innovative ideas and solutions to develop new carbon-based materials and to optimize existing materials.
Take responsibility for scientific and technological progress.
Act as expert for carbon materials and technology, guiding lab engineers, and translating customer needs and requests into new materials and solutions.
Develop new processes for carbon synthesis and modification; suggest, test, and validate new processing routes and equipment.
Create, revise, and monitor laboratory work procedures.
Perform own R&D work, lead and supervise internal as well as external research activities.
Act as internal scientific advisor in area of responsibility, providing scientific and technological support for scale-up activities, process engineering, business development, sales, and regulatory affairs.
Identify and communicate with external R&D partners.


What We Offer






This position gives you the opportunity to join one of our most attractive business leads for sustainable growth within Stora Enso. Joining the emerging business activities at this early stage opens up the chance to actively contribute to and shape this endeavor and to take on challenges and break new pathways.








Qualifications






Core qualifications and skills:


PhD degree in material science, material chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field.
5+ years industrial and/or academic track record in R&D of carbon materials and carbon processing technology (incl. PhD studies).
Profound understanding of structure, texture, morphology and surface properties or carbon powder materials, and of ways of how to analyse these and of how to tailor them by proper processing conditions.
Proven practical and theoretical knowledge on carbon powder synthesis and processing, including industrially relevant thermal, mechanical, and post-modification technologies and solutions.
Capability and willingness to work at a laboratory and pilot scale.
Experience with design of experiments and statistical data analysis.
Experience with writing scientific and technical texts.




Beneficial skills:


General knowledge of materials and components for electrochemical energy storage, especially of carbon-based materials for batteries and supercapacitors is a plus.
Previous experience in project management is a plus.
A personal network in the carbon technology community, both academic and industrial, is a plus.




Personal skills:


Self-motivated individual with innovative mindset.
Strong scientific and technical background combined with structured analytical thinking.
Hands-on can-do attitude, problem solving ability, and results-driven approach.
Ability to work independently as well as in an international and interdisciplinary team.
Ability to translate project goals into clearly structured technical and scientific tasks.
Willingness to perform practical work in our in-house laboratories in Nacka/Stockholm (Sweden) and occasionally in our pilot plant in Sunila/Kotka (Finland), and to develop new technical solutions and processes for the same.
Willingness to travel (up to 20% of work time).
Focus on safety and improving safety in a professional environment.




Language skills:


English, fluent in word and writing on negotiations level.
Finnish is a plus.






Additional Information




Hiring manager Mario Wachtler, mario.wachtler@storaenso.com, is happy to answer your questions about the position. Other questions regarding the recruitment process and how to apply can be directed to Recruitment Specialist Katarina Rydell, Katarina.rydell.ext@storaenso.com.




You are welcome to apply via Stora Enso's online system, www.storaenso.com/en/careers






We work with the recruitment process on an ongoing basis, so apply as soon as possible, but no later than March 21st, 2021. Your application must include a CV and a personal letter. In the personal letter, please let us know why you are suitable for this position. We accept applications submitted through our recruitment system only.






The Biomaterials division meets the growing demand for the replacement of products made from fossil-based and hazardous materials with bio-based solutions. We use all fractions of biomass, like lignin and sugars, to develop new solutions.

See our film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUElPYaxgqs&t=6s