Fire Point Rocket Technology

We specialize in the design and manufacturing of rocket engine components, with qualification and performance testing conducted at our dedicated off‑site facilities.Our work supports programs of vital importance to Denmark’s national defense.

Your Role

The Chief Chemical Engineer is responsible for the scientific and technical aspects of fuel production: formulation development and validation, control of raw materials and mixture quality, establishing and maintaining recipe and process control standards, and integrating chemical parameters into production procedures to ensure stable yield, minimal scrap, and full compliance with safety and regulatory requirements.

Reports to: Chief Production Officer (CPO)

Close collaboration with: Senior Process Technology Engineer, Quality Control Manager, Maintenance & Engineering Lead, HSE Lead, Supply Chain Manager.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and validate all fuel formulations and recipe control standards.

• Define and maintain critical process parameters (temperature, mixing time, vacuum, catalysts, etc.) and their tolerance ranges.

• Lead and manage the laboratory (raw material testing, in-process testing): test methodologies, calibration, documentation, data traceability.

• Oversee recipe change control – planning pilot batches, validation, updating SOPs, and transferring to production.

• Conduct root-cause analysis in collaboration with Process Engineering and Maintenance to address recurring defects and quality deviations.

• Ensure full batch traceability for all chemical operations.

• Manage risks related to hazardous materials – classification, storage, transport, and safe handling procedures.

• Collaborate with Quality Control to define sampling plans and acceptance criteria; lead and follow up on CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions) activities.

• Participate in supplier qualification and material approval, ensuring technical compliance with specifications.

• Continuously improve yield and reduce recipe cost through optimization of formulations and process parameters.

• Maintain documentation for audits (ISO, AQAP, and defense quality frameworks) related to chemical operations.

• Train and develop the team of chemists and technologists; define RACI within chemical processes.

Functional Scope

• Recipe Development & Scale-Up: from lab trials to full-scale production batches.

• Lab Management: analytical methods (chemical, rheological, moisture testing), lab equipment calibration and maintenance.

• Process Control: defining process limits, setpoints, and escalation procedures.

• Safety & Compliance: collaborate with HSE to define safe handling and emergency procedures for all chemical reagents.

• Supplier & Material Qualification: testing of new materials, defining specifications, ensuring supplier compliance.

• Data & Automation: use MES/PLC data to monitor process stability (yield, scrap, batch variability).

Decision-Making Authority

• Approve chemical formulations within defined governance.

• Authorize production stops related to chemical process deviations (in alignment with QC/HSE).

• Approve or modify laboratory methods and sampling procedures.

• Propose CAPEX investments for laboratory equipment and consumables.

• Initiate and validate corrective/preventive actions (CAPA) related to process chemistry.

Key Performance Indicators

• Yield rate – % of successful batches without defects.

• Scrap rate – % of rejected products after polymerization or NDT.

• Time-to-validate – from lab recipe to production readiness.

• Repeat root-cause incidents – number of recurring defects after corrective actions.

• On-time delivery of validated batch records to production.

• Compliance incidents – number and severity of chemical or HSE deviations.

• Lab result accuracy – repeatability and validation of analytical data.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: MSc/PhD in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or related fields.

• Experience: 7+ years in chemical or polymer manufacturing; experience in solid propellants, composites, or defense/aerospace materials is highly preferred.

• Proven experience in scale-up from lab to industrial production.

• Experience managing analytical laboratories and QC interfaces.

• Familiarity with ISO, AQAP, or other defense quality systems would be an advantage.

• Working knowledge of MES/ERP systems and process data management is an advantage.

Professional Skills

• Deep knowledge of chemical formulations, polymerization, and reaction chemistry.

• Competence in statistical process control (SPC), root-cause analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA).

• Data analysis and reporting skills (Excel, BI tools, SQL).

• Strong process-thinking mindset — capable of translating lab data into production standards.

• Experience bridging R&D and production teams (lab-to-line integration).

Soft Skills

• Precision and accountability in a safety-critical environment.

• Clear and structured communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Leadership and team development abilities (coaching junior chemists and lab staff).

• Emotional resilience and ability to perform under operational pressure.

• High ethical standards and safety-first mindset.