Job Title

Head of Research – Natural Materials & Formulation ScienceLocation: PuneFunction: Research & DevelopmentReports to: Founder / CEOAt Zerocircle, we do not start with materials. We start with what the world throws away every day. Paper cups, food packaging, things designed for minutes of use and decades of impact. Our work is to replace what sits inside these products using natural compounds and water-based chemistry, without asking industry to change how it already operates. We are looking for a Head of Research who can turn this intent into materials that perform, scale, and disappear after use.What you’ll doLead formulation development: coatings, films, dispersions, bindersDeeply understand and manage pH, rheology, stability, colloids, emulsions, foaming, and ageingWork hands-on with natural materials - polysaccharides, naturally-occurring-polymer marine and plant-derived compoundsApply strong understanding of structure–property relationships in natural materials to tune: Barrier properties, adhesion and cohesion, mechanical strength and flexibility, stability, ageing, and migration behaviourTranslate lab formulations into pilot and commercial-scale systemsSolve real-world problems: variability in natural inputs, shelf life, line performance, adhesion, migrationPartner closely with manufacturing, technology, product, and supply chain teamsEngineer around natural raw material variability without defaulting to synthetic fixesSet research direction, experimentation frameworks, and technical prioritiesWhat we’re looking forMust-have experienceStrong background in Chemistry / Materials Science / Chemical EngineeringProven experience in water-based formulation scienceHands-on 10-15 years of FMCG R&D experience (personal care, home care, coatings, food-contact materials, packaging)Comfort working with natural materials and their inherent variabilityThis role is not forPure synthetic or petrochemical polymer specialistsProfiles with only academic research exposureAnyone looking for a hands-off or purely managerial role