Fiber Development Lab Engineer / Senior Technician

Requirements

• 3+ years in papermaking labs/mills, with direct wet-end experience (additives, chemistry, or coatings).
• Degree in pulp & paper engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, or proven mill expertise.
• Track record with sustainable/non-wood fibers (bamboo, bagasse, residues) a plus—focus on green innovations.
• Thrive in startup mode: autonomous, iterative, bureaucracy-free.
• Technical English a must. Non-Chinese nationality preferred for diverse insights. Mandarin speaking is a plus.
• Open to relocation—we provide full support.

We Offer: competitive salary + equity, relocation package, and ownership in eliminating plastic waste through game-changing materials Papkot replaces plastics with industrial-performance, fully recyclable, and biodegradable fiber-based materials. We’re disrupting the industry by developing plastic-free, green wet-end additives that replace traditional ones like PAE and sizing agents—making paper production cheaper, faster, and stronger. Our partnership with Fedrigoni, a leading investor and collaborator, accelerates our breakthroughs from lab to global scale. Key Responsibilities

• Hands-on lab work focused on wet-end chemistry: develop and test green additives for pulping, refining, sheet forming, and fiber enhancement.
• Optimize formulations to boost strength, speed, and cost-efficiency while ensuring full biodegradability and recyclability—targeting replacements for PAE and sizing agents.
• Run rapid prototype trials, root-cause failures, and document performance metrics like yields, defects, and barrier properties.
• Scale lab innovations to pilot, spotting bottlenecks and collaborating on fixes with our major paper partner.
• Maintain equipment (beaters, handsheet molders, testers), uphold safety, and manage inventory.
• Team up with scientists and suppliers on novel fiber sources and sustainable additives.