Proton Intelligence is developing continuous potassium monitoring technology to help clinicians manage people with kidney disease. Join our R&D; team in Clayton, Melbourne, and turn rigorous electrochemistry into reliable sensor performance.

The role

This is a full-time, on-site senior individual-contributor role with Proton Intelligence Australia Pty Ltd. Reporting to Jason Brenker, Manager, Hardware Engineering R&D;, you will provide scientific leadership and hands-on ownership of the solid-contact ion-selective electrode (SC-ISE) and reference-electrode chemistry at the heart of our continuous potassium monitor.

You will design, characterise and improve ion-to-electron transducers, ion-selective membranes, solid-state reference electrodes and protective coatings, then translate them into reproducible, documented and manufacturable processes. You will work closely with the CSO, CTO and colleagues across engineering, clinical, quality and operations. The initial focus is scientific delivery and mentoring; people management remains with the team manager.

Salary: AUD 110,000–130,000 base per year, plus superannuation.

What you will do

- Lead sensor chemistry and materials development, with clear hypotheses, priorities and decision points agreed with technical leadership.
- Diagnose and reduce potential drift and standard-potential variability, including water-layer formation, conditioning behaviour, component leaching and interfacial instability.
- Evaluate materials and architectures from the literature and academic partners through focused experiments, while maintaining a working knowledge of relevant research and patents.
- Design and execute potentiometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), chronopotentiometry, selectivity and water-layer testing with defined methods, conditions and acceptance criteria.
- Develop and validate test fixtures, instrumentation configurations and protocols,



including testing in complex matrices representative of interstitial fluid.
- Use appropriate controls, sample sizes and design of experiments to produce reproducible results, reference datasets and reliable performance trends.
- Translate bench recipes into controlled build procedures covering deposition, curing, conditioning, storage and other process sensitivities.
- Partner with Engineering and Operations on scale-up, in-process checks, yield tracking, material qualification and design transfer across operators, batches and sites.
- Produce technical reports, verification protocols and results within Proton's QMS to support design history, risk management and regulatory submissions.
- Translate electrochemical performance into system requirements and design inputs, including drift budgets and calibration strategy, and support pre-clinical and clinical studies with sensor characterisation and failure analysis.
- Provide scientific guidance and hands-on mentoring to junior scientists and technicians, sharing methods and building the team's electrochemistry expertise.

What you will bring

- A PhD in analytical chemistry, electrochemistry, chemical engineering, materials science or a related discipline, completed or near completion. Postdoctoral or industry experience is preferred.
- A strong research track record in electrolyte sensing and hands-on experience fabricating and characterising potentiometric sensors, ideally solid-contact ISEs and/or all-solid-state reference electrodes.



Prior people-management experience is not required.
- Deep working knowledge of ion-selective membrane chemistry, ion-to-electron transduction and the mechanisms of potential drift.
- Solid command of potentiometry, EIS and chronopotentiometry, including the instrumentation and data analysis behind them.
- Rigour in experimental design, measurement uncertainty and data integrity, with the ability to distinguish a real effect from an artefact.
- Experience with microfabricated, planar, printed or microneedle electrodes, or measurement in biological matrices, is strongly preferred.
- Clear communication, sound judgement and effective collaboration across a small, fast-moving multidisciplinary team, with documentation suitable for an ISO 13485 environment.

Success in the role

In your first 90 days, you will assess the current chemistry and test methods, rank the main contributors to drift and reproducibility, and agree a prioritised electrochemistry plan with R&D; leadership. Over the following months, you will establish validated characterisation methods and reference datasets, deliver measurable improvements in sensor stability or reproducibility, and capture those improvements in controlled processes and design evidence.

Work rights and how to apply

Applicants must have existing Australian work rights and be able to work on site in Clayton, Melbourne.

Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter highlighting your electrolyte-sensing research, hands-on sensor work and relevant publications or technical contributions.

We value trust, excellence, flexibility, collaboration and a safe workplace. Indigenous Australians, women, people identifying as LGBTQIA+, people of all ages and culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

The pay range for this role is:
110,000 - 130,000 AUD per year(Clayton, Australia)

📌 Senior Electrochemist — Solid-Contact Sensors (Notting Hill)
🏢 Proton Intelligence
📍 Notting Hill