Ohr Director of Synthetic Chemistry at Ohr leads chemistry across three verticals including energetics, mining and metals, and polymers. Responsible for route selection, process safety leadership, team management, and external representation.
Responsibilities
Own route selection across all three verticals on cost and hazard
Lead the synthetic chemistry team
Carry energetics program from 1 kg sample to 10 kg/day pilot
Sequence campaigns competing for bench resources
Own process safety as a leadership function
Keep candidate pipeline stocked
Make build-or-buy calls on intermediates and defend cost model
Stand up Colorado laboratory including equipment specification and compliance
Represent chemistry externally at government reviews and with partners
Qualification
A PhD in organicProcess safety leadershipRoute selection on cost per kilogramDelivery against government-fundedStanding up a laboratory from scratchInsensitive high explosives
Required
A PhD in organic, process or materials chemistry with 12 or more years beyond it, or equivalent depth reached another way
At least 3 years managing chemists against external delivery dates, including hiring and leveling a team from a standing start
Personal ownership of a synthetic route that reached pilot scale, with the scars to describe where it nearly did not
Real depth in at least one of energetics chemistry or metal extraction chemistry, rather than general familiarity with neither
Process safety leadership: reaction calorimetry, exotherm and quench design, HAZOP participation, and hazard treated as an input to route choice
Route selection on cost per kilogram, with a specific decision you can walk through end to end
The ability to manage ITAR- and export-controlled information and to run a team inside that regime
Writing and presentation good enough for a government program review, because a large share of this job is defending a technical position to people who did not do the work
Delivery against government-funded, milestone-based development programs
Standing up a laboratory from scratch: equipment specification, licensing, long-lead procurement, and the first year of operating discipline
Converting exothermic or corrosive batch chemistry to flow or continuous processes
Insensitive high explosives, operation inside an ATF-licensed facility, or familiarity with DoW explosive safety standards
