Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients’ mission-critical operations in the world’s essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant’s innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,400 employees worldwide. Discover us at www.gradiant.com.

Job Overview

Gradiant is seeking a motivated lab technologist to support the development of specialty chemical solutions for advanced membrane systems. This role offers hands-on exposure to formulation development, lab experimentation, and data-driven product evaluation focused on antiscalants, membrane cleaners, and biocides for UF, NF, and RO applications.

Join Gradiant’s NPI team and work on next-generation chemical solutions for advanced water treatment. The role is a hands-on opportunity for those who want to apply chemistry and process knowledge to real-world industrial challenges.

This role offers the chance to:

• Gain direct exposure to industrial R&D and New Product Initiatives (NPI)
• Work on real challenges in membrane performance, scaling, and cleaning
• Build practical experience in formulation testing, lab experimentation, and data analysis
• Contribute to technologies that support more efficient and sustainable water treatment
• Learn alongside a team focused on solving high-impact industrial problems

Specific Duties/Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments to evaluate lab-developed formulations for scaling control, membrane cleaning, and biofouling mitigation.
• Plan and conduct static beaker tests and dynamic membrane flow-cell studies using synthetic and real process water.
• Prepare experimental setups, solutions, and supporting materials while maintaining strong laboratory safety and good lab practices.
• Analyze test data to identify trends, compare performance, and recommend improvements or next-phase testing plans.
• Document findings through technical summaries, protocol updates, inventory records, and draft reporting templates.

Qualification, Skills & Experience

• Polytechnic or university student in Chemistry, Chemical/Environmental Engineering/allied field
• Interest in water chemistry, membrane processes, specialty chemicals, or industrial water treatment
• Prior exposure to water testing, laboratory experimentation, or data analysis is an advantage 1–2 years of experience in the water industry (EPC, OEM, or technology companies preferred) (Senior candidates: 3+ years with demonstrated project leadership experience)
• Strong curiosity and willingness to learn through experimentation
• A hands-on, problem-solving mindset
• Perseverance and a positive, can-do attitude
• Ability to follow lab protocols carefully and work safely
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment
• Good communication and presentation skills for sharing technical findings clearly

Gradiant is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.