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Who are we?

Mykor is an award-winning biotechnology company developing carbon-negative materials for

the construction industry. The company’s proprietary custom-engineered insulation products

perform like foam but, unlike polystyrene, they are renewable and circular with no

compromise on thermal performance and fire resistance. Mykor’s flagship product, the

MykoSIP, is an insulating and acoustic panel system manufactured with cellulosic waste and

fungi-based binders. Our mission is to decarbonise the construction industry by

manufacturing carbon-negative materials made from waste resources.

Location: Bristol, UK

Job Type: Full-time

We are looking for a Polymer Chemist:

We are seeking a Polymer Chemist / Formulation Chemist to join our biotechnology startup

developing next-generation polymer-based biomaterials. The role focuses on the design and

optimisation of formulations, understanding processing behaviour, and enabling

extrusion-based manufacturing pathways.

You will work at the interface between polymer chemistry, biomaterials science, and process

engineering, translating laboratory-scale polymer systems into materials that are scalable,

processable, and biologically functional for industrial applications.

This position is ideal for someone passionate about bridging fundamental science with

real-world manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities:

Design and formulate polymer systems for insulation applications (e.g. protein-starch

matrices, hydrogels, composites, inorganic networks);

Optimize material formulations for viscosity, stability, degradation rate, and

mechanical performance;

Develop solvent systems, additives, and crosslinking strategies towards low-density

materials for insulation applications;

Develop and optimize extrusion-based processing (e.g. extrusion cooking, melt

extrusion or solution extrusion);

Translate lab-scale formulations into continuous or semi-continuous manufacturing

processes;

Troubleshoot extrusion parameters (temperature, shear rate, pressure, die design);

Ensure material consistency and performance during scale-up (e.g.; expansion,

density, unit consistency, etc.)

Analyse extrusion products, polymer and formulation properties (rheology, thermal

behavior, molecular weight distribution, hardness, moisture adsorption, durability,

pore volume);

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Conduct biocompatibility and degradation testing for construction and insulation

applications (circularity, VOC emissions, fire performance, biological resistance, etc.);

Work closely with biotech and process engineers, product developers, and

manufacturing teams;

Support prototype development for construction insulation materials;

Contribute to process transfer from R&D to pilot production;

Maintain detailed formulation records, process parameters, and experimental data;

Support intellectual property documentation and regulatory submissions;

Planning and execution of hands on experimental work towards novel building

materials

Production of high quality reports and dissemination of results internally

Prototype fabrication of novel materials of interest

Iterative improvement of materials and processes towards thermal and acoustic

insulation materials

Broad responsibilities spanning chemistry, engineering, and product development

Qualifications:

Master’s degree or PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or

related field

High emphasis on process scalability and manufacturability

Hands-on experience with polymer processing techniques, especially extrusion

cooking

Understanding of rheology and flow behavior of polymer systems

Experience with analytical tools (e.g. spectroscopic techniques including FTIR, flow

dynamics techniques including rheometers, mechanical characterisation techniques,

surface analysis techniques(e.g. SEM), thermal characterisation (e.g. Heat flow

meter characterisation), compositional analysis, and physical characterisation)

Knowledge of structure property relationships in polymers and biobased networks

Problem-solving mindset for process optimization and scale-up challenges

Strong foundation in polymer chemistry, formulation science, materials science, or

food science

Desirable:

Experience in polymer processing, extrusion cooking, or biomaterials strongly

preferred

Frequent iteration between formulation design and extrusion performance

Fast-paced development of biomaterial products from concept to prototype

Strong lab-to-manufacturing translation skills

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Experience with and understanding of insulation materials, highly porous and or

expanded materials.

Experience with inorganic networks and or organic polymer systems

Experience working with and processing biomass based starting materials

What We Offer

At Mykor, we provide an engaging and hands-on role in a pleasant and flexible work

environment. The tasks are diverse, offering the opportunity to acquire various practical

skills. As a dynamic and youthful company, our production methods and Standard Operating

Procedures (SOPs) mirror this energy, allowing space for personal and professional growth

within the organisation. You'll be part of a welcoming team atmosphere. Our culture holds

significant importance, defined by the pillars of "Innovation. Transparency. Sustainable

Growth." These principles form the bedrock of our operations, rooted in our values of

ambition, responsibility, integrity, and efficiency.

● Salary up to £38000 annually (depending on experience) + equity options.

● 22 days holiday + bank holidays.

● Permanent contract.

● Flexible working hours with paid breaks.

● Private health insurance (Bupa).

● Annual self-development budget (£500+).

● Yearly team retreat abroad + monthly team events.

● A chance to shape the future of construction with meaningful climate impact.

Diverse and Inclusive Culture

Mykor values equal opportunities and strongly encourages applicants from traditionally

underrepresented backgrounds. We aspire to ensure that every member of our team feels

esteemed, respected, included, and heard. We actively promote diversity and stand against

any form of discrimination.

As a small company with limited resources, we regretfully cannot provide feedback to

unsuccessful candidates. Nevertheless, we sincerely appreciate your interest and thank you

for considering us. If you think you can make a real impact on the success of Mykor, we

would love to hear from you.

Application Process

● Stage 1: Email CV + cover letter to ines@mykor.co.uk

● Stage 2: Video interview

● Stage 3: In-person interview with Head of R&D + Head of People

● Stage 4: References (post-offer)

Location: Bristol, United Kingdom

Start Date: 1st July 2026

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