Application Scientist

About CuspAI

CuspAI is the frontier AI company on a mission to solve the breakthrough materials needed to power human progress. While nature took billions of years to perfect molecules, we are harnessing AI to unlock trillion-dollar materials breakthroughs in months, not millennia. Our founding team is the most cited in the world, comprised of world-class researchers in AI, chemistry and engineering.

We are working on some of the hardest and most important challenges including energy, clean water, the future of compute, and carbon capture, and this is just the start of what our 'search engine' for next-generation materials will unlock.

We invite you to be part of a diverse, innovative team at the intersection of AI and materials science, working to create impactful partnerships that drive innovation, scalability, and industry collaboration. This work matters. Your work matters.

We’re on the cusp of the on-demand materials era. Join us.

The Role

Due to growth, we are seeking an experienced Application Scientist play a critical role in developing and applying the capabilities of our platform in partnership with our growing customer base.

Your Impact

In this role you will be working directly on a variety of customer and partner projects, supporting their teams to utilise our technology. Your work will be critical for solving complex problems for our customers and driving value for Cusp.

As the primary liaison between external partners and internal teams, you will directly influence the success of our partnerships and the real-world application of our AI-driven materials discovery platform.

Your main focus initially will be providing expert guidance, training, and technical support to external partners. You will also provide technical insights to enhance product development and application strategies.

What You Will Do

Technical Expertise & Guidance

• Collaborate with sales and marketing teams to support customer engagement efforts and demonstrate the value of our technology.

• Provide expert guidance to external partners on the application of our technology, addressing their technical questions and challenges.

• Assist in troubleshooting technical issues and developing solutions that optimise product performance, supporting customer goals.

• Act as the crucial bridge between external experimental teams (Chemists, Materials Scientists) and internal technical teams (Data Engineers, AI/ML Researchers).

• Serve as CuspAI’s "eyes and ears" in the lab, providing regular technical reports and updates on experimental progress, status, and challenges.

• Translate platform-driven recommendations into clear, executable experimental plans for our lab partners.

• Communicate with lab teams regularly, including on-site visits to labs in different regions at the beginning of relationships and during intensive "sprint visits" to get labs online.

Project Delivery & Reporting

• Assist with project scoping and the creation of detailed technical proposals, helping to define project objectives.

• Own the end to end delivery of specific projects, being a key point of contact along with the TPM and other technical team members.

• Maintain accurate records of interactions with external partners, including training sessions, support requests, and feedback.

• Prepare reports and presentations on the effectiveness of training and support initiatives.

Training, Education, and Documentation

• You may be required to develop and deliver training sessions, workshops, and presentations for external partners to enhance their understanding of our technology. If so, this would be done in collaboration with our existing team members.

• Likewise, there may be times when you need to help create technical documentation, guides, and resources to facilitate the effective use of our platform.

Product Improvement

• Gather and analyse feedback from external partners regarding product performance and usability.

• Work with TPMs, ML and platform engineers to relay insights and suggestions for enhancements based on partner experiences.

• Stay informed about industry trends and advancements relevant to our technology, providing insights to improve applications and performance.

Must Have Skills and Qualifications:

• Extensive, hands-on experimental lab experience in a relevant field such as Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or Experimental Chemistry.

• Exposure to AI/ML - ideally building or training models, but it's also fine if you have used them in any capacity.

• Demonstrable automation mindset and experience optimizing or building interfaces for laboratory workflows and processes.

• Solid scripting skills (Python) - you will need to handle data extraction, automate data translation between disparate laboratory and informatics systems, and to configure APIs for communication between laboratory and CuspAI’s systems.

• Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both deeply scientific/technical audiences (AI researchers) and hands-on experimental teams (Chemists).

• Proven ability to design and steer experimental campaigns based on defined objectives and data feedback.

• A personal passion for the mission of CuspAI, particularly the potential of AI to unlock breakthroughs in materials science for sustainability, clean energy, or carbon capture.

Bonus Points (But Not Critical):

• Experience with high-throughput experiments (HTE), robotics, and commercial laboratory automation systems.

• Professional-level coding skills, e.g. Python, Go.

• Experience working with machine learning models or AI platforms, including an understanding of how data inputs affect model outputs and performance.

• Knowledge of specific materials properties, crystallography, or computational chemistry concepts (e.g. DFT, MD simulations).

• Proven ability to develop and deliver effective technical training sessions, presentations, and documentation to external partners.

• Prior experience in a start-up or fast-growth technology company.

Additional Considerations

This role will be based in Singapore, with the expectation of being in the office at least three days per week. Your working hours will need to have some overlap with our other teams in Europe, while also allowing you to work effectively with local partners.

As part of your onboarding, you will be expected to spend at least a few weeks in our Cambridge/London office learning about our platform and getting to know us in person.

Additionally, there may be regular travel required to Europe and other regional and global locations for collaboration and project work.

What We Offer

• A competitive salary: We value and reward impact and growth

• Equity in CuspAI: You have a stake in the success of the company

• Time off to stay fresh: 28 days holiday (DE, NL, UK) or 21 days holiday (JP, SG, US), in addition to local public holidays

• ‘Gold Standard’ parental leave: 26 weeks (primary caregiver) and 12 weeks (secondary caregiver) at full pay - we look after you and your family while we work on the most important materials discovery problems together

• Professional development budget: We invest in your career development so you can stay up to date with the latest industry knowledge or add to your skills to increase impact and growth

• Solve meaningful problems: See how your work has a direct impact on advancing materials science and solving sustainability and climate-related problems through the creation and application of bleeding-edge SOTA technology and revolutionary techniques

• True interdisciplinary teamwork: Be part of a deeply collaborative environment bridging AI research, computational chemistry, and experimental science - work with world-class researchers and engineers who enjoy sharing knowledge and supporting each other

Join us in shaping the future of materials with AI. Together, we can create groundbreaking solutions for a more sustainable world.

CuspAI is an equal opportunities employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and value the unique perspectives and contributions that diversity brings to our team.

Please let us know if you require any specific adjustments during or after the interview process. We will do everything we can within reason to accommodate.