Co-Founder in Residence

Summary

Join Deep Science Ventures (DSV) as a Founder in Residence and contribute to developing the next generation of plastics recycling. You will work with the DSV team and the current Founder in Residence to co-found and spin-out a new company focused on chemical recycling of plastics. The role is full-time and initially remote until the venture incorporates and spins out (around Q1 2026). You and your co-founder(s) will own the majority stake in the new company, receiving ongoing support from DSV post-spinout. DSV provides significant resources, including funding, mentorship, and a collaborative network of founders. The goal is to create high-value chemical products from plastic waste, addressing the growing global demand for chemicals and reducing environmental impact.

Requirements

• Deep industry experience in olefins business, including market knowledge, production processes, and commercialisation strategies OR equivalent experience in the waste plastics industry
• Expertise in extrusion and polymer processing technologies
• Proven track record of developing, building, and scaling innovative chemical technologies from conceptual stage through to demonstration and pilot-scale operations
• Demonstrated success in securing funding from venture capital, early-stage investors, grants and project finance sources
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing complex projects and coordinating cross-functional teams effectively
• Prior knowledge of current approaches and state-of-the-art technologies, constraints, and opportunities for improvement in one or more of the following areas
• Chemical recycling systems - Design, performance, and optimisation of chemical recycling from a process level perspective. Deep understanding of the contaminants and their subsequent interactions in chemical recycling
• Opportunities for efficiency improvements – Automation, sensor integration, real-time monitoring, and AI-driven analytics for continuous processes improvement, analytics, and decision-making

Responsibilities

• Develop a new kind of chemical recycling to generate high-value chemical products from plastic waste
• Work closely with the DSV team and the current Founder in Residence to co-found and spin-out a new company
• Own the majority stake in the new company with your co-founder(s) after spin-out
• Receive continuous support from the DSV team post-spinout, including fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, and team-building

Preferred Qualifications

PhD or equivalent industry R&D experience in industrial design and/or fabrication, automation and control systems engineering, or electrical heating

Benefits

• Access to optimised, purpose-built, proprietary tools, resources, and processes to help create high-impact ventures from scratch
• Opportunity area-specific know-how from our network of Partners and Advisors
• Up to £250k in investment to incorporate the new venture and develop early proof-of-concept data
• Guaranteed income of £4,166 per month paid as a fixed consultancy fee until the company is launched and the pre-seed investment is secured
• Majority equity stake in the new company between you and your co-founder(s)
• Continuous post-spinout support, including fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, and team-building
• Collaborative support from dozens of Founders currently at DSV across sectors