Job Description — Research Associate, Graphene & Advanced Carbon Materials
Company: AmpCycle
Position: Research Associate – Graphene & Advanced Carbon Materials
Department: R&D / Advanced Materials
Location: Rohini, Delhi, India
Employment Type: Full-Time
Experience: 2–3 years relevant industrial/research experience
Qualification: M.Sc. in Chemistry / Applied Chemistry / Materials Chemistry / Chemical Sciences or closely related discipline
Salary: ₹3.0–5.0 LPA, depending on experience and technical capability
About AmpCycle
AmpCycle is developing advanced technologies for the recovery and value addition of critical minerals and carbon-based materials. Our R&D portfolio includes lithium, cobalt, nickel and other strategic materials, along with advanced carbon materials such as graphene and value-added graphite derivatives.
We are building laboratory and pilot-scale capabilities to convert recovered graphite and other carbon feedstocks into high-value graphene and graphene-derived materials through scalable and commercially viable processes.
We are looking for a hands-on Research Associate – Graphene & Advanced Carbon Materials who can contribute to process development, experimentation, characterization and scale-up of graphene production technologies.
Role Overview
The selected candidate will work on the development and optimization of processes for producing graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), partially reduced graphene oxide and other graphene-derived/functionalized carbon materials from graphite and other suitable carbonaceous feedstocks.
The role will involve both chemical/materials research and practical laboratory development, with a strong emphasis on converting literature-scale processes into reproducible, scalable and commercially relevant processes.
Key Responsibilities
1. Graphene Production & Process Development
- Develop and optimize laboratory-scale processes for graphene and graphene-derived materials.
- Investigate different approaches for converting graphite into graphene, GO, rGO and partially reduced graphene oxide.
- Evaluate suitable chemical, electrochemical, thermal, microwave-assisted, hydrothermal, mechanical and other exfoliation/reduction approaches.
- Study both conventional and emerging graphene-production technologies and identify processes suitable for sustainable scale-up.
- Optimize reaction parameters including temperature, reaction time, pH, reagent concentration, oxidation/reduction conditions, exfoliation conditions and feedstock characteristics.
- Develop reproducible SOPs for graphene synthesis and downstream processing.
- Investigate methods for increasing yield, purity, conductivity, surface area and other desired material properties.
2. Graphite Feedstock Evaluation
- Characterize different graphite feedstocks and evaluate their suitability for graphene production.
- Study the influence of graphite purity, particle size, morphology and source on graphene quality.
- Develop suitable pre-treatment, purification and beneficiation methods where required.
- Investigate opportunities to utilize recovered/recycled graphite as a feedstock.
3. Chemical Reaction Development
- Design and execute chemical experiments involving oxidation, reduction, exfoliation, functionalization and purification of carbon materials.
- Handle chemical reactions involving strong acids, oxidizing/reducing agents and other laboratory reagents using appropriate safety protocols.
- Investigate reaction mechanisms and structure-property relationships.
- Maintain accurate experimental records, material balances and process parameters.
- Troubleshoot failed or inconsistent experiments and identify root causes.
4. Graphene Characterization
The candidate should be capable of either independently performing or effectively coordinating characterization of graphene materials using techniques such as:
- Raman spectroscopy
- FTIR
- FESEM / SEM
- TGA
- UV-Vis spectroscopy
- XRD
- BET surface-area analysis
- Electrical/resistivity measurements
- Cyclic voltammetry and other electrochemical techniques, where applicable
The candidate will be expected to interpret characterization data and correlate material properties with synthesis parameters.
5. Process Optimization & Scale-Up
- Convert laboratory procedures into reproducible processes.
- Conduct Design of Experiments (DoE) where appropriate.
- Optimize process yield, purity, energy consumption, reagent consumption and waste generation.
- Develop mass and material balances for graphene production.
- Identify bottlenecks in downstream washing, separation, drying, purification and recovery.
- Support transition from gram-scale experiments toward kilogram-scale and eventually pilot-scale production.
- Evaluate process economics and scalability of competing graphene-production routes.
6. Sustainable Graphene Technology
- Research environmentally responsible routes for graphene production.
- Evaluate chemical consumption, energy requirements, wastewater generation and recoverability of process chemicals.
- Investigate opportunities for reagent recycling and closed-loop processing.
- Compare conventional chemical routes with electrochemical, thermal, microwave-assisted, mechanical and other emerging approaches.
- Identify commercially viable pathways for producing premium-grade graphene from recycled graphite and other secondary feedstocks.
7. Research & Technology Development
- Conduct literature and patent reviews related to graphene and advanced carbon materials.
- Identify commercially promising technologies and assess their technical feasibility.
- Reproduce and benchmark relevant published processes where appropriate.
- Maintain a technology database covering graphene synthesis, exfoliation, reduction, functionalization and characterization.
- Support IP generation through novel process development and process improvements.
- Prepare technical reports, experimental summaries and internal R&D presentations.
- Contribute to technical publications, patent documentation and grant proposals where required.
8. Laboratory Operations
- Plan and execute experiments independently.
- Maintain laboratory notebooks and experimental records.
- Follow chemical handling, laboratory safety and waste-management protocols.
- Maintain and troubleshoot laboratory equipment used for synthesis and characterization.
- Maintain chemical, consumable and sample inventories.
- Develop and maintain standardized experimental SOPs.
Required Technical Skills
The ideal candidate should have practical knowledge of several of the following:
- Graphene / graphene oxide / reduced graphene oxide synthesis
- Graphite exfoliation
- Chemical exfoliation
- Electrochemical exfoliation
- Oxidation and reduction chemistry
- Nanomaterial synthesis
- Carbon-material processing
- Sol-gel / hydrothermal / solid-state synthesis
- Microwave-assisted synthesis
- Chemical functionalization of graphene
- Nanocomposite preparation
- Electrochemical materials
- Materials characterization
- Experimental design and process optimization
- Chemical reaction engineering fundamentals
- Laboratory-scale process development
Experience with bulk or scalable graphene production will be strongly preferred.
Preferred Experience
Candidates with experience in one or more of the following will be given preference:
- Graphene or graphene oxide production
- Reduced graphene oxide production
- Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite
- Chemical exfoliation of graphite
- Graphite purification
- Advanced carbon materials
- Nanomaterials
- 2D materials
- Carbon nanomaterials
- Electrochemical synthesis
- Supercapacitor/battery electrode materials
- Scale-up of laboratory chemical processes
- Industrial R&D
- Pilot-plant process development
Experience with rGO, partially reduced graphene oxide, graphene hybrids, aminated graphene or graphene-based nanocomposites would be particularly relevant to this position.
Educational Qualification
Mandatory:
- M.Sc. in Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Chemical Sciences or a closely related field.
Preferred:
- Specialization in Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Nanotechnology or Electrochemistry.
- M.Tech/M.Sc. in Materials Science/Nanotechnology/Chemical Engineering-related disciplines may also be considered where the candidate has strong hands-on graphene experience.
Experience
Minimum: 2 years relevant experience.
Preferred: 2–3 years of hands-on experience in graphene, nanomaterials, advanced carbon materials, chemical synthesis or related R&D.
Freshers will not be considered for this position.
Candidates must demonstrate actual laboratory/research experience rather than only theoretical knowledge.
What We Are Looking For
Key Performance Indicators
The candidate will initially be evaluated on:
- Successful development/reproduction of graphene-production processes.
- Improvement in graphene yield and quality.
- Reproducibility of the developed process.
- Reduction in reagent, energy and processing requirements.
- Successful characterization and interpretation of graphene materials.
- Development of standardized laboratory SOPs.
- Progression from laboratory-scale experiments toward scalable processes.
- Identification of commercially viable graphene-production routes.
- Development of novel process improvements and potential IP.
- Ability to independently troubleshoot and execute R&D projects.
Strong performers will have the opportunity to progress toward:
Research Associate → Senior Research Associate → R&D Lead / Process Development Lead
Candidates with demonstrated hands-on experience in graphene production and characterization will be preferred over candidates with purely academic/theoretical exposure.
Keywords
Graphene | Graphene Oxide | Reduced Graphene Oxide | rGO | Graphite | 2D Materials | Nanomaterials | Carbon Materials | Electrochemical Exfoliation | Chemical Exfoliation | Materials Chemistry | Chemical Synthesis | Nanocomposites | Raman | FTIR | FESEM | TGA | XRD | BET | Electrochemistry | Process Development | Scale-up | Advanced Materials | R&D
Pay: From ₹300,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Life insurance
- Provident Fund
Work Location: In person
