Plastics Technology Expert (Recycling), Environment & Supply Chain Innovation

Plastics Technology Expert (Recycling), Environment & Supply Chain Innovation

Our client, a global consumer device company located in Cupertino, California is seeking to hire an exceptional Plastics Technology (Recycling) Expert to lead a project to evaluate recycling impact and options for the betterment of the environment.

The Plastics Technology & Recycling Expert is responsible for looking beyond conventional plastics solutions into emerging technologies companies to evaluate and deliver recommendations for alternative solutions to build into future strategy.

Responsibilities:

Deliver analysis and reporting from plastic recycling study.
Make plastic recycling recommendations for future company strategy.
Identify top 3 extraction technologies and provide deep-dive results.
Create guidance for literature used within the reporting.
Cross collaboration with safer chemistry group to evaluate hazardous material potential.

Required Skillset:

Bachelor or master's degree in Polymer chemistry or technology with a focus on plastic processing or plastic recycling.
Background in Environmental engineering and Life Cycle Assessment is preferred.
Passionate to analyze and understand industrial process in detail and creativity to explore pathways to reduce their environmental impact.
Experience in working in cross-functional teams in large corporation.
Proven business acumen.
Self-motivated individual with strong communication and presentation skills, flexible, open working style, and an ability to establish trust and credibility quickly.

The increasing usage of recycled or renewable plastics in products is the main pillar of environmental strategy concerning plastics. However, due to the very high material quality standards, there are limitations to only a few sources of recycled plastics. Chemical recycling methods such as, depolymerization, pyrolysis and gasification are novel plastic recycling technologies that treat difficult-to-recycle material streams and convert plastics into a new material with virgin-like properties. The low reaction yield and high energy requirements of some of these processes make their environmental benefits questionable. The chemical industry is treating chemical recycling as the only valuable method for enabling plastics closed-loop and is investing heavily in it. On the contrary, environmental agencies and NGOs are advocating for a strict control of this process and limiting their scope based on environmental concerns.

In leading the project, two points of consideration should be identified. The first, in providing a metric to evaluate chemical recycling process and compare it with existing recycling and disposal solutions (incineration, landfill). This result will be incorporated in a decision matrix that will enable a recycling pathway selection for each plastic type, based on the overall environmental impact.

The second, part of the project will focus on gathering a deeper understanding of the chemical recycling process technology and identify the process steps with high environmental impact. This data will be shared with technology suppliers for a roadmap to improve the overall environmental impact of chemical recycling.

Project analysis and report delivery will include:

Deep dive on incineration technologies and environmental impact of each.
Deep dive on the chemical recycling pathway and variation of its environmental impact based on process and material input variation.
Comparison between the environmental impact of incineration and chemical recycling pathways for plastics.

Type: Contract

Duration: 3-6 Months

Location: Remote

Please submit resume to jobs@OSIengineering.com