Are you ready to turn applied Research and Development (R&D) and pilot‐scale experimentation into insights that shape real commercial decisions?
We're seeking a R&D Program Lead or R&D Program Manager to plan and deliver pilot plant trials and R&D test programs that support Calix's technology development, scale-up and investment decisions.
This role is based at our Global R&D Centre at Bacchus Marsh and reports to the R&D Manager responsible for Calix's R&D pilot plants. The level of appointment will reflect experience, technical judgement and scope of accountability.
The opportunity
At Calix, R&D is applied, embedded and decision focused.
Our pilot plant trials operate in live, constrained environments. Conditions change, learning emerges mid‐trial and data is often imperfect. The value of work is not in producing more data, but in applying sound technical judgement to generate insights that help the business and its customers decide what to do next. In this role, you will work across the intersection of science, operations and commercial reality, shaping how learning is translated into confident decisions.
Key accountabilities
In this role you will:
· Plan, lead and deliver pilot plant trials and applied R&D programs in live operational environments, adapting scope and approach as learning emerges.
· Apply sound technical judgement to design, interpret and refine trials where data may be incomplete, ambiguous or inconclusive.
· Integrate R&D activities safely into operating pilot plants, balancing scientific rigour with operational constraints, safety requirements and competing priorities.
· Lead and influence contributors across R&D, engineering, operations and business development to align on trial intent, respond to emerging insights and deliver outcomes.
· Own the end‐to‐end delivery of R&D programs, managing scope, timelines, cross-functional coordination, resources and budgets to ensure trials meet objectives.
· Synthesise complex data into clear, concise and decision‐ready outputs that technical and commercial stakeholders can act on.
· Partner closely with business development and technical stakeholders to ensure trial objectives, outcomes and limitations are understood in a commercial context.
· Uphold disciplined safety, risk and quality practices across all trial activities, including risk assessments and HAZOPs.
Level of appointment:
This role may be appointed at R&D Program Lead or R&D Program Manager level based on:
· The complexity and scale of R&D and pilot programs you've led
· Depth of technical judgement you've demonstrated in trial design and interpretation
· Ability to integrate technical, operational and commercial considerations
· Effectiveness in influencing and aligning others to deliver results
The role has no direct people management responsibilities.
To be successful in the role you will bring:
· A tertiary qualification in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or a related discipline.
· Experience delivering applied R&D and/or pilot‐scale programs in industrial or applied research environments.
· Strong technical judgement and comfort working with incomplete or evolving data.
· Proven ability to influence and align people across disciplines without formal authority.
· Experience leading complex technical projects end-to-end from planning through to interpretation and decision support
· Strong ability to synthesise detailed technical work into clear, decision‐focused communication for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
About us
We are an environmental technology company addressing urgent global challenges in industrial decarbonisation and sustainability.
We apply our patented technology to decarbonise cement, steel and alumina, enable sustainable processing of critical minerals, deliver direct air capture of atmospheric CO2, and develop sustainable environmental products.
Because there is only one Earth. Mars is for quitters.
Why join Calix
· Work on technologies with genuine global impact
· Be part of a collaborative, technically rigorous and pragmatic R&D environment
· Gain hands‐on exposure to world‐leading pilot‐scale facilities and real industrial projects
· Enjoy flexible working, generous parental leave, great benefits and an employee incentive scheme
Ready to apply your R&D expertise where it counts? Join Calix and help shape a sustainable future. Get to know us at: https://www.calix.global/who-we-are/