About the company

Our client is an innovative European university spin-off working on sustainable, self-healing polymer materials for the tyre and wider polymer industry. The project is moving from academic research into a private scale-up phase, with the goal of bringing this technology to the market.

The team has already produced up to 100 kg of material and is working with industrial partners to test and develop real-life applications. The focus is on turning strong scientific results into practical solutions that help products last longer and reduce environmental impact.

The team works in a scientific way, with a flat structure and no corporate layers. People work closely together, combining research and experimentation in a collaborative and dynamic environment. The spin-off is looking to grow with professionals motivated by cutting-edge technology and sustainability.

About the role

This is a leadership role that combines scientific expertise with operational responsibility. It requires strong technical judgment, the ability to make timely, well-judged decisions and to present our technology externally with confidence.

The CTO will lead the technical organisation end-to-end: materials R&D, laboratory and scale-up testing, validation and qualification, industrialisation, and technical partnerships. He/She will also translate the material platform into qualified, approved, and market-ready products, starting with bike tyre manufacturers and distributors.

Challenges of the role

The main challenge is to turn an advanced technology into a real product.

This includes:

• redeveloping polymers that enable room-temperature curing
• achieving proper adhesion to all type of tyres
• ensuring the polymer is extrudable with high quality (1–2 mm thick, 20–30 mm wide)
• preserving properties after undergoing the tyre vulcanisation process (the polymer packed into the tyre)
• leverage industry partnerships to solve these challenges

Key responsibilities

Materials science & product development

• Lead the materials science team (formulation, synthesis, processing, performance optimisation)
• Drive manufacturing of self-healing polymer across formats (e.g. tapes, coatings, integration pathways)
• Define technical strategy and priorities based on performance targets, manufacturability, cost and customer needs

Testing, validation & approvals (lab to scale-up)

• Own the testing strategy across lab, pilot, and industrial-scale testing (robustness, QC, reproducibility)
• Build and lead the testing and validation team
• Define and run test protocols that directly support customer qualification and approval
• Establish quality-by-design testing and data integrity, acceptance criteria, sampling plans, statistical thinking and traceability

Program management & execution

• Implement project planning and execution rhythms (roadmaps, milestones, risks, dependencies)
• Maintain dashboards for leadership and investors, tracking progress, risks, and mitigation plans
• Ensure cross-functional alignment between R&D, testing, commercial teams and external partners

IP & patent strategy

• Own the technical side of IP strategy, including invention disclosures, drafting support, and prosecution follow-up with counsel.
• Coordinate Freedom-to-Operate analyses and competitive monitoring.
• Ensure IP capture is embedded into R&D workflows and partner collaborations (confidentiality, ownership, background/foreground)

Technical partnerships

• Develop and manage technical partnerships with:
• chemical producers and processors (raw materials, toll manufacturing, coating/tape processing, scale-up)
• customers (bike tyre manufacturers and distributors) for trials, qualification, and integration routes
• Represent the company as the trusted technical expert in partner discussions forums

What success looks like in the first 6–18 months

You will measure your success by:

• Establishing a robust R&D, testing, and scale-up operating system with clear plans, KPIs, documentation and decision gates
• Delivering validated performance data and repeatable manufacturing and test protocols that support customer trials
• Driving customer approval through a clear qualification path, accepted test results, and commercial readiness
• Strengthening the IP pipeline with regular invention capture, a clear prosecution roadmap, and Free to Operate (FTO) position
• Building a scalable partner network for manufacturing and processing
• Finalising a market-ready product, including specifications, packaging, QC plans, claims, and documentation ready for sales
• Upscaling the product toward ~10-tonne production with defined processes, supplier/toller readiness, QC release specifications and demonstrated reproducibility

This role is for you if

• You bring proven industry R&D leadership, including team management, budgeting, prioritisation, and product delivery through validation
• You have strong expertise in materials science, polymer chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field
• You can structure and drive complex technical programs across multiple workstreams
• You have experience with patents/IP in an industrial setting (invention, capture, counsel interface, strategy input, FTO familiarity)
• You communicate clearly and credibly with scientists, customers, and investors

You are a top candidate if

• You hold a PhD in polymer chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or a similar field
• You have experience with industrialisation, scale-up, toll manufacturing, or product qualification
• You have exposure to tyres, rubber, coatings, sealants (nice to have)
• You have supported customer qualification processes and technical commercial discussions

This role is not for you if

• You need guaranteed outcomes
• You are uncomfortable with experimentation and uncertainty
• You prefer large, highly structured corporate environments
• You want a desk-only role with minimal lab involvement

Why join our team

• This is a rare opportunity to take a key leadership role in a spin-off company with real industrial traction and meaningful impact
• You will have the freedom:
• to shape the technical roadmap
• structure the organisation
• build a partner ecosystem that drives innovation and growth

What do we need: a leader, not a boss

• You learn fast and can master complex science while keeping the business picture in mind
• You are structured, decisive and comfortable making choices in uncertain environments
• You can build and coach high-performing teams and set clear standards
• You are a strong partner to the CEO and business development teams and are comfortable representing the company externally

What we offer

• Very early-stage opportunity: small team (~7 people)
• Secured public funding (>€1M) and active investor discussions
• High scientific autonomy within a clear framework
• Stock-option plan to participate in the company’s upside
• Competitive compensation package aligned with your impact and company stage
• Reimbursement of 157,8 euros replacing internet fees

Interested?

If this project resonates with you and you want to contribute to a technology still being written, apply now.

The process will close as soon as the right profile is identified.

Please note that only preselected candidates will be contacted.

Equal opportunity

All qualified applicants will be treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.