R&D Associate

R&D Associate

Polène

About Us Founded in 2016, the French leather goods brand Polène stands out for its exceptional artisanal craftsmanship, creating timeless pieces with organic designs directly inspired by nature. With 11 stores across Europe, the United States and Asia, and maintaining our strong growth and international expansion, we are structuring our operations in 2026 and surrounding ourselves with top talent to develop deep expertise at every level of our organization. Our resolutely artistic positioning supports the elevation of our range of bags and jewelry, backed by 800 artisans in our workshops in Ubrique, Spain. The story of Polène can be written with you: join us and be part of this journey within our technical and innovation area in Ubrique, contributing to the development of 3D molds, CNC machining, special projects, and Briques de Cuir — leather bricks created from leftover materials and reused to produce objects such as store furniture — at the heart of our production excellence. Your Role As an R&D Associate, you will support the development and implementation of innovative solutions within our technical area, including 3D molds, CNC machining, special projects, and recycled leather applications. This is a hands-on role, ideal for someone who wants to develop their career with a strong willingness to learn, participate in technical projects, and grow within a dynamic industrial and creative environment. Your Key Responsibilities Technical Support & Development * Assist in the design and development of 3D molds and technical solutions. * Support activities related to 3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting, and digital cutting technologies. Project Participation * Contribute to the execution of special projects from concept to implementation. * Collaborate with different teams to ensure technical feasibility and quality. Process Improvement * Identify opportunities to improve tools, workflows, and production processes. * Participate in continuous improvement initiatives. Operational Support * Provide support in daily technical activities, ensuring efficiency and quality standards. * Help monitor and report on basic performance indicators. Cross-Functional Collaboration * Work closely with production, development, and support teams to ensure smooth project execution. Your Profile * Technical degree or higher vocational training (e.g., Técnico Superior en Diseño en Fabricación Mecánica or similar). * Around 3 years of experience in an industrial or technical environment. * Intermediate level in French or English. * Knowledge of: * 3D design and/or 3D printing * CNC machinery * Laser and digital cutting technologies * A plus: knowledge or experience in leather goods (marroquinería). You are curious, hands-on, and eager to learn, with a strong interest in innovation, materials, and manufacturing processes. Why Join Us? * Be part of an international brand with strong roots in Andalusia * Work at the intersection of craftsmanship, sustainability, and advanced technology * Contribute to innovative projects with real impact on product and retail environments * Grow through continuous learning and development opportunities Inclusion & Diversity At Polène, we are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We believe that diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enriches our creativity and strengthens our teams. All applications are considered regardless of gender, age, origin, disability, or any other characteristic. Location This position is based in Ubrique (Cádiz), Spain, in the heart of the Sierra de Cádiz.

NPD - R&D Technician

Unknown Employer

What You’ll Be Part Of: Join AstenJohnson’s Technical Services Team and be part of an organization that values safety, quality, innovation, accuracy, and collaboration. As an R&D Technician I, you will provide hands-on technical support for production, quality assurance, product development, material qualification, testing, and site ISO-related activities. This role supports both day-to-day technical testing and longer-term product and process development efforts. The R&D Technician I will work closely with the R&D/Process Engineer and other cross-functional team members to support trials, analyze materials, document results, and help improve products for internal and external customers. Position Details: Location: Williston, VT Job Type: Full-time, salaried non-exempt Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This role may also provide occasional off-hours support for trials, projects, testing, or production-related needs, as required. Salary Range: $62,400 to $70,720 annually, equivalent to $30.00 to $34.00 per hour, depending on education, experience, and qualifications. This position is salaried non-exempt and is eligible for overtime in accordance with applicable law. General Scope of Responsibilities: Provide technical support and perform routine and non-routine testing to support production, new product development, product modification, material qualification, and quality system requirements. Work closely with the R&D/Process Engineer to improve products for internal and external customers by running trials to make monofilament using different polymers and blends. Help test and analyze competitive materials as needed for market intelligence. This position will also support site ISO responsibilities, including documentation, audit preparation, recordkeeping, and coordination of ISO-related activities. Prior ISO experience is helpful but not required; however, the successful candidate must be willing to learn and perform this function as part of the role. Specific Responsibilities: • Support Filaments production and quality assurance by performing routine and non-routine testing; assist in troubleshooting and data analysis. • Prepare and test materials according to existing methods, including chemical, physical, and optical testing, for material characterization and product properties. • Collate test samples, data, and record results. Document results reporting with basic statistics including tables, graphs, photos, and written reports. • Maintain calibration, operation, and routine maintenance of laboratory equipment according to procedures and manufacturers’ requirements. • Work with the R&D Engineer and procurement to assist in qualification of new raw materials and incoming audit testing for quality control of existing raw materials. • Assist in running the Pilot Line and producing product samples. • Assist in developing new tests and test procedures and implementation of those tests into standard quality testing as needed. • Support site ISO responsibilities, including maintaining and organizing ISO-related documentation, assisting with internal and external audit preparation, supporting follow-up activities, and helping ensure required records are complete and current. • Learn and apply ISO requirements relevant to the Williston site and partner with site leadership, quality, production, and other team members to support ongoing compliance. • Provide occasional off-hours support for trials, projects, testing, or production-related needs, as required. • Perform other responsibilities related to job duties as assigned. • Proactively follow all health and safety policies and participate actively in ongoing safety improvement efforts. • Help foster a work environment that advocates ethics, respect, and diversity. Knowledge / Education / Experience: • Minimum High School Diploma with 5 years of experience or Associate Degree with 2-4 years of experience. • Knowledge of processing thermoplastic polymer materials and understanding of filament or continuous manufacturing processes, such as extrusion, is required. • Basic knowledge and experience in analytical testing of filaments, fibers, and polymers is desirable. • Lean and Six Sigma certification or experience is desirable. • ISO experience or familiarity with quality management systems is desirable but not required. Candidate must be willing to learn and support ISO-related responsibilities for the site. Required Skills: • Strong technical and analytical skills; ability to recommend data-driven solutions to technical problems. • Self-starter; highly motivated to deliver results and drive continuous improvement. • Positive attitude and eagerness to learn. • Ability to prioritize and multi-task; strong attention to detail. • Ability to maintain accurate documentation and records. • Willingness to learn ISO requirements and support site compliance activities. • Flexibility to occasionally work outside of normal business hours to support trials, project timelines, testing, or production needs. • Ability to work collaboratively, creatively, and flexibly within interdisciplinary teams as well as with customers and suppliers as needed to deliver exceptional results. • Practical hands-on aptitude in a technical environment. • Strong verbal, written, and technical communication skills. Why You’ll Love Working Here: • Medical, dental, prescription drug, and vision plans • Basic life insurance and AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account • Wellness Programs • 401(k) with 6% company match  • Employee Assistance Program • Holidays and Vacation Pay Our Commitment to You: AstenJohnson is committed to equal employment opportunity. Promotions and transfers are made without regard to age, race, color, sex, religion, handicap, veteran status, or national origin. We are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace.

Founder's Associate

Ankar

The way companies innovate is broken. The systems built to create and protect ideas can’t keep up with the pace of change. Today, 90% of S&P 500 company value is intangible (e.g., IP) — yet R&D and IP teams spend half their time buried in manual work, sifting through patents and paperwork instead of pushing the frontier forward. The tools of creating and protecting are stuck in the past. We’re here to fix that. Ankar is building the AI Platform for the Trillion Dollar Innovation Economy — a suite of tools that helps inventors explore, create, and protect ideas. We’re removing the friction from the invention process, starting with IP protection and expanding toward creation and exploration. We’re already seeing this vision come to life: * We’ve raised >$24M to date from Tier-1 VCs like Atomico, Index Ventures, Norrsken, Daphni, and angels like the Founder of Hugging Face, CEO from Datadog, and Leaders from DeepMind and OpenAI. * We’re already working with the world’s most innovative companies including Fortune 500 company L’Oréal and global law firm Fenwick * Expanding our world-class team with alumni from Palantir, Amazon, and BCG to tackle the $1T+ innovation market. We’re just getting started. Ankar is looking for a highly organised, execution-focused Founder's Associate to work across growth, marketing, hiring, and operations. You will act as a force multiplier across some of the highest-leverage areas of the business as we scale. This is a true generalist role for someone who is hands-on, pragmatic, and energised by variety. You will help remove bottlenecks, build repeatable processes, and drive forward core business priorities across Hiring and Growth/Marketing. What you’ll be doing: * You’ll work closely with the team to support Ankar’s next stage of scale. The role will span multiple workstreams, sitting between Growth & Marketing, Hiring, and Operations. You’ll be expected to bring structure, momentum, and extremely high standards of follow-through. Your responsibilities will include: * Hiring: build a hiring machine that attracts the best people with a drive for the mission * Supporting hiring across the business, including screening calls and candidate coordination * Helping source strong talent through employer brand and related events * Growth & Marketing: make Ankar a respected and desirable brand * Supporting growth and GTM initiatives across sales and marketing * Helping plan, prepare for, and execute events, conferences, and external-facing company moments * Supporting inbound lead generation and improving the systems around it * Managing and supporting company LinkedIn content and distribution * Working closely with our Founding Growth team on priority commercial initiatives * Operations: ensure we operate in a world-class way * Automating manual operational workflows and improving internal systems * Building and redesigning operations processes so they are repeatable, scalable, and resilient * Providing finance, execution, and general operational support where needed What we are looking for * A highly organised, systematic operator with exceptional execution discipline * A true generalist who can move quickly across different workstreams throughout the year * Strong attention to detail and the ability to create order from ambiguity * Someone who can act as a force multiplier across high-pain-point areas of the business * Excellent communication skills and comfort working closely with founders and senior leaders * Strong judgement, high agency, and the ability to operate without needing heavy direction Ideally, you would also have: * Experience in an early-stage or high-growth company, either as an early hire, founder, or operator * Experience building or significantly improving an operations function from scratch * Some exposure to hiring, recruiting, or talent operations * A strong understanding of GTM as an end-to-end function across sales and marketing * Experience supporting events, conferences, employer brand, or content distribution * Familiarity with automating workflows and making manual processes scalable Culture at Ankar: Culture at Ankar is how we think, build, and operate. We’re building a generational company that redefines how the world’s best R&D teams create and protect ideas. * Contrarian - we think from first principles: We think deeply, question assumptions, and build from first principles. The best ideas come from clarity and rigour. * Creative - we build with taste: ****We’re building the R&D tools for the AI era and shaping what applied research looks like over the next 20 years. We care about precision, quality, and systems that last. * Competitiveness - we play to win: We move with urgency and set a very high bar for ourselves and each other. Every win raises the bar. Every challenge sharpens us. This role is not for you if... * You need a highly structured environment, a predefined playbook, regular working hours, or a schedule that never requires travel. We operate with high autonomy and ownership, expect our team to go above and beyond, be obsessed with our mission and thrive in ambiguity rather than wait for direction. * You prefer long planning cycles and certainty before acting. We move quickly, ship often, and adapt based on customer feedback and new information. * You want to manage the work rather than do the work. We're builders first, and everyone is expected to contribute directly to creating exceptional products. * You take it personally when ideas are challenged, priorities shift, or work gets redirected. We care more about finding the right answer than defending a particular one. What we put behind our people Building at the frontier takes exceptional people. We invest accordingly. * Health Insurance : Full private health & dental coverage for you and your dependents. * Pension: Flexible pension scheme with up to 5% employer matching on qualifying earnings. * Food on us: Team lunches twice a week, plus dinner when working late in the office. * Cycle to work: Green Commute initiative scheme (up to £3k) to help you get a new bike tax-free. * Way we work: We combine deep, in-person collaboration (3 days/week in our Shoreditch office) with flexibility and trust. What matters is ownership, impact, and results, not where you work from. What else you might want to know * Compensation: We pay competitive salaries and will reward you with a substantial equity package. * Hiring process (the process can be as fast as you want it to be): * (1) 30min introductory chat with Operations Lead * (2) 30min introductory chat with Founder * (3) onsite: 45min with Founder and 45min case study with Operations Lead