About us
Grouse Fibre is an early-stage climate tech start-up pushing the boundaries of the future of materials. We have ambitious aims to convert abundant proteins into high value products. In order to realise this goal, we’re hiring mission-driven scientists and engineers who want to make a real tangible impact on the fields of material science and regenerative agriculture.
We are working with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) on an ambitious collaborative product to capture value from waste milk. This is a role based at the Dairy Nexus, SRUC, Barony Campus, Dumfries.
This is a temporary role supporting a key project until January 2026. This could be on a full time or part time basis.
What will you do?
You’ll be a key early hire working closely with the founding team to drive and scale the technical development, with a focus on product and the leap from lab to commercial demonstrator.
The ideal candidate will bring a broad knowledge of processor materials and have previous experience building pilot projects from the ground up. You’ll need to be comfortable operating across the business from hard science, process engineering, co-ordinating external contractors and practical hands-on expertise. You’ll be based at the Dairy Nexus building at the SRUC Barony Campus. From time to time, you’ll need to travel to support ongoing projects in Scotland and England.
Responsibilities
● Manage key aspects of the project, engaging with colleagues and collaborative partners to deliver across the life of the programme
● Communicate actions and activities clearly to stakeholders
● Demonstrate a method to capture proteins from waste milk and produce prototype material
● Work with partner organisations to evaluate the commercial and technical viability
● Generate plans for experiments and trials to support our R&D roadmap
● Lead on the laboratory experimentation process and the generation of prototypes and samples at the Dairy Nexus site
● Support related projects and activities, collaborating with trial partners to evaluate materials on-site
● Record and analyse data sets and disseminate results to your colleagues and stakeholders
● Contribute to the overall success of the business which could include attending customer trials, writing grant applications and implementing ideas.
Qualifications and Experience
● Scientific or technical background - this could be through University/College or through experience in dairy technology
● Knowledgeable in the methods and machinery in dairy processing or related fields
● Experience in managing projects, with knowledge of Innovate UK funding beneficial
● Willingness to adapt your role to support the evolving needs of the business and take on additional tasks and responsibilities as become necessary (e.g. project management, marketing, on-site work).
● Exceptional problem-solving abilities and creativity in addressing design challenges, turning obstacles into opportunities for innovation and lean design solutions.
● A passion for sustainability and a strong desire to contribute positively towards addressing the Climate Emergency and the dairy industry local to the Scottish borders and Cumbria.
● Excellent knowledge of the dairy industry, the processing of milk and the leading organisations in the region (Desirable)
● Demonstrable experience in laboratory environments with hands-on experience in dairy processing (Desirable)
● Experience of working within an early stage start-up (Desirable)
Benefits
● Opportunity to work in a business critical role in a growing team
● Interesting and varied work at the Dairy Nexus site
● Professional development opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge
EDI
Grouse Fibre is committed to promoting equal opportunities and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We actively seek to attract and retain a diverse workforce as we believe that diversity drives innovation, enhances collaboration, and enables us to better understand and meet the needs of our employees, clients, and stakeholders. Therefore, we actively encourage applications from individuals with characteristics that are underrepresented in R&D.
Application
If you meet the above criteria, please send a CV to us through the Indeed platform. If you are a potential fit for the business we will follow-up with some questions and arrange a call.
*If you don't have all the above, but think you would be a great candidate - please send us a CV and a cover letter explaining what else you bring*