Analytical Chemist

Solcoa Industries•San Francisco, CA

6d•$120,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

Solcoa is building the next generation of American metalmaking, beginning with rare earths. The company has developed a chemistry for converting rare earth oxides into high-purity metals and is scaling production to thousands of tonnes annually. The Analytical Chemist owns measurements supporting rare earth metal production. The role characterizes oxide feedstocks, process intermediates, metals, alloys and powders, and provides clear analytical results to research and production teams. It is hands-on, involving sample preparation, method development, instrument operation and troubleshooting, and the establishment of reliable testing workflows as the company scales. Analytical tools include ICP-OES, ICP-MS, SEM-EDX, particle size analysis, XRD and inert gas fusion (IGF). This is a full-time, on-site position in Alameda, California.

Requirements

BS or higher in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Materials Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Typically 3+ years of relevant analytical laboratory experience; substantial hands-on graduate research counts.
Strong hands-on experience with ICP-OES or ICP-MS, including sample preparation, method development, calibration and troubleshooting.
Ability to distinguish a material problem from a sampling, preparation or measurement problem.
Ability to interpret data, document methods and explain results clearly to engineers and production teams.
Comfort taking ownership of daily laboratory work and shifting priorities in a growing company.

Nice To Haves

Experience with rare earths, high-purity metals, inorganic materials, mining, metallurgy or advanced materials manufacturing.
Hands-on experience with SEM-EDX/EDS, XRD, particle size analysis or IGF/LECO O/N/H systems.
Experience with difficult inorganic digestions, trace impurity analysis, air-sensitive materials or glovebox handling.
Experience building laboratory quality systems, supporting customer qualification, or automating data analysis with Python, spreadsheets or LIMS.

Responsibilities

Develop and validate methods for analyzing rare earth content, metallic impurities and product purity using ICP-OES and ICP-MS.
Prepare samples, including representative sampling, digestion, dilution and standards preparation; control contamination and oxidation when handling reactive metals and powders.
Use SEM-EDX to investigate morphology and elemental distribution, XRD to identify crystalline phases, and particle size analysis to characterize powder distributions.
Measure oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen using inert gas fusion, with preparation and calibration appropriate to the material and instrument.
Establish quality controls using blanks, reference materials, calibration checks, spikes and duplicates; quantify detection limits, precision, recovery and uncertainty; resolve matrix effects and interferences.
Maintain and troubleshoot instruments, track performance, and coordinate service and consumables to keep the laboratory running reliably.
Work with research and production teams to investigate unexpected results, identify contamination sources, close elemental balances and improve product consistency.
Write SOPs, maintain traceable sample and data records, and prepare analytical reports for process development, product qualification and quality control.
Maintain safe practices for acids, reactive powders, compressed gases and laboratory waste, and train teammates on established methods.