Organic Chemistry Lead

Entity:

Technology

Job Family Group:

Research & Technology Group:

Job Description:

At bp, we provide an excellent working environment and employee benefits such as an open and inclusive culture, a great work-life balance, tremendous learning and development opportunities to craft your career path, life and health insurance, medical care package and many others.

Who we are

Fuels & Low Carbon Technology (F&LCT) is a global organization of more than 300 technologists, scientists, and engineers who develop groundbreaking solutions across bp’s Fuels, Refining, Bioenergy, and Hydrogen businesses. The organization also supports bp’s wider Technology function through innovation management, modelling, digital science, and academic research partnerships—providing the scientific and engineering foundation that enables bp’s low carbon and operational ambitions.

Within F&LCT, the Bioenergy & Hydrogen Technology (B&HT) team focuses on crafting and scaling technologies that unlock bp’s low carbon growth. The team advances pathways across bioenergy, biogas, SAF, hydrogen, and novel feedstocks, while working closely with bp businesses to ensure solutions meet real operational and commercial needs. B&HT plays a central role in defining bp’s technology direction for today’s energy needs as well as the energy transition by driving innovation from early-stage concepts through deployment ready solutions.

Job Purpose and primary objectives:

We are delighted to present this excellent opportunity for an Organic Chemistry Lead to join our global team of scientists who provide data and insight reaching across bp – from research and innovation into low carbon technologies, to critical business support for our global value chain.

The Applied Chemistry team works across multiple interfaces to meet business needs and identify opportunities where applied chemistry can add value. The team supports bp’s strategic framework across fuels (including biofuels), SAF, biogas, feedstocks, hydrogen, oil and gas, and cross‑cutting low‑carbon initiatives.

This role reports to the Applied Chemistry Manager.

Key responsibilities include:

• Deliver safe, standards‑adherent experimental operations, contributing to the development of an HSSE expectations aligned with the bp's goals.
• Responsible for fundamental and exploratory studies in chemistry, organic synthesis and bio-feedstock conversions to support technology deployed within the business and the appraisal of new processes of potential future interest to bp.
• Lead experimental programmes in organic synthesis to develop new technology for conversion chemistry.
• Responsible for leading the design, execution, and interpretation of experimental work to deliver upon set objectives.
• Provide expertise in laboratory-scale evaluation and measurement and/or the application of innovative analytical techniques
• Development of relevant in-house capability by identifying and implementing standard methodologies in chemistry, including evaluation from industry and academia.

Essential Criteria & Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemistry or a related field, or a Master’s/Bachelor’s degree with demonstrated relevant experience.
• Experience in chemistry, organic chemistry synthesis, organic feedstock conversion or related fields. Good knowledge in synthesis, retrosynthesis and methodology.
• Strong laboratory experience in organic synthesis, including methodology development and retrosynthetic analysis, with expertise in green chemistry, catalysis, column chromatography, and compound characterisation (NMR, GC/LC‑MS), as well as hands‑on experience with glovebox and Schlenk line techniques.
• Resourceful experimentalist with practical research experience in laboratory scale reaction testing equipment.
• Ability to work closely with interdisciplinary teams to identify fundamental chemistry and organic synthesis needs, develop appropriate approaches, and deliver and transfer results and insights to address those needs.
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to contribute to the success of the team, foster learning, share ideas, presentation skills and building capability.
• Proven ability to lead their own projects and deliver results.

Desirable Experience:

• Knowledge and/or experience of physical properties testing for organic molecules (e.g. base oils, fuel,s etc.)
• Experience working with world class universities or third-party laboratories to support studies related to chemistry, organic synthesis, catalysis, materials and/or digital tools for delivering robust and high-quality data used for making decisions.
• Experience or knowledge across the biology and chemical interface.
• Basic knowledge in Computational chemistry is a plus but not essential.

Other

• Travel – less than 5%.

About bp

Our purpose is to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow. For over 100 years, bp has focused on discovering, developing, and producing oil and gas in the nations where we operate. We are one of the few companies globally that can provide governments and customers with an integrated energy offering. Delivering our strategy sustainably is fundamental to achieving our ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner!

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Additional Information

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Even though the job is advertised as full time, please contact the hiring manager or the recruiter as flexible working arrangements may be considered.

We support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and challenging environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to crafting an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.

There are many aspects of our employees’ lives that are meaningful, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, collaboration spaces in a modern office environment, and many others benefits.

Travel Requirement

Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role

Relocation Assistance:

This role is eligible for relocation within country

Remote Type:

This position is not available for remote working

Skills:

Column Chromatography, Computational Chemistry, Glove Box Systems, Green Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Retrosynthetic Analysis, Schlenk Line, Schlenk Techniques

Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics like race, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.