Working at CDT

Innovation through collaboration

We are proud of our place at the cutting-edge of global materials research, supported by our diverse, international outlook. We benefit from being an integral part of a major global chemical corporation, yet we’re small enough to maintain the agility needed to have a real impact.

Our team comprises of around 60 talented individuals, primarily outstanding research scientists driving our research goals, ably supported by first class business support functions. We take pride in our diversity, and each of us has a real opportunity to make a difference.

We have a key role in generating new research programmes for a sustainable society and a better tomorrow.

Join the CDT team

Do you think you’d fit into our innovative team?

We offer a professional, friendly, and fun working environment.  We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.  We firmly believe that diversity enhances our research and business excellence.  

We offer a fantastic holiday allowance, the potential for hybrid working, paid time off for volunteering, and even an additional day off to celebrate your birthday.  We can also support the cost of visa sponsorship and relocation where appropriate.

In our wider community, we believe in doing what we can to make a positive presence, in particular through charitable donations and supporting volunteering and educational initiatives aligned with our values.

We also offer all the usual benefits you would expect, including private health and dental insurance, life assurance, income protection insurance, an Employee Assistance Programme and a pension scheme. It goes without saying that our salaries are also pretty good.

Apply for vacancies

We welcome speculative applications. If you have exceptional talent, are keen to be part of our success and would thrive in a dynamic company, please e-mail a covering letter and an up-to-date CV to careers@cdtltd.co.uk.

Our Culture

“The culture at CDT is of high trust, leading to a conscientious team who are self-motivated and self-driven, which is really nice. There is obviously support available when needed, and there’s never an expectation for you to do something that you’re not comfortable to do without management support.”
James – Principal Scientist

“A core excitement for me at CDT is the diverse range of people – not just in their cultures, but in their technical backgrounds. I’m a physicist, but I work with chemists, biologist and biochemists amongst others. It’s this that creates the excitement, because many breakthroughs are at the boundaries of disciplines, not in the middle of them.”
Jeremy – CDT Founder

Variety

“Sumitomo Chemical, our parent company, is actively encouraging us to work under the broad umbrella of sustainability. This means we can look at many things from energy storage, to carbon capture and ways of recycling plastics more effectively. These are all really important areas that we, in industry, should address.”
James – Principal Scientist

“After several years in R&D I got the chance to move into the IP team, initially as a Patent Analyst, progressing to the position of Senior Patent Engineer. In my current role I support the research community with IP Strategy and in identifying new business opportunities.”
Tania – Senior Patent Engineer

Real Research with Real Impact

“We work in a dynamic environment which requires the team to work quickly and accurately, evaluating projects with precision while maintaining a rapid pace. I was excited to learn how we can collaborate with third parties and deliver projects efficiently while still ensuring accuracy. From my experience elsewhere, research can often take years of development, but working on CDT’s quick, small projects with real collaborators and real end-use applications is a unique and rewarding experience.”
Farzeneh – Scientist

“It’s hard to think of a better place for a researcher with passion both in their chosen field, and in the wider space of world-benefiting science, to come to see their work transition from the lab into everyday life. CDT’s position as a core research centre for Sumitomo Chemical gives us both the breadth of freedom of a small company backed by the resources of a major corporate to make this happen.”
Chris – Principal Business Advisor

Opportunities to Grow

“Everyone in the business is part of a network each with slightly different opinions about priorities, the commercial drivers, what might work, and what wouldn’t. I saw the opportunity of a secondment to move from the local to the global Corporate Venturing and Innovation team as a chance to be a true part of this ecosystem.

While on the assignment I worked with other secondees from Sumitomo’s Japanese headquarters and immediately felt part of this network and was able to leverage my access to it. I gained an insight into the different mindsets of these people, including those I would need to persuade and influence to move projects forward.  This insight was the greatest value I took from the secondment, and CDT will continue to make use of it through me in our work across Sumitomo.”

Ian – Senior Scientist took advantage of a 2-year secondment to the US to work within a sister company in the Sumitomo Chemical Group family. He spoke to us in detail for our Linkedin page.

What’s the best thing about working at CDT?

“All the chemists work in the same labs and we all get along well. Everyone’s got different backgrounds and different strengths that you can lean on as required, and that you can learn from. Some of those colleagues are now my friends.”
James – Principal Scientist

“I would tell new starters not to worry if they feel a little out of their depth on occasion – sometimes you are working in areas that you are not an expert in, but it’s great to be learning all the time. If this is important to you, then I guarantee that you would enjoy working here.”
Farzeneh – Scientist