Come work with us

Job Overview

• Location: Hybrid, with 2 to 3 days per week at Harwell (Oxfordshire)
• Type: Full-time or part-time (3 days per week minimum)
• Compensation: Competitive salary + equity options available
• Reports to: Co-Founders
• Start date: Flexible, but ideally by early June, 2026

About Blue Neptune

Blue Neptune is an early-stage deep-tech company developing advanced thermal insulation coatings for high-temperature aerospace and industrial applications. Our technology addresses critical thermal management challenges across multiple sectors, including defence, space, aviation, and energy-intensive industries.

As an early-stage deep-tech venture backed by leading accelerators and innovation programmes (including European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre, Undaunted Greenhouse, and Carbon13), we're at an exciting inflection point. We're translating cutting-edge materials science into commercially viable solutions that deliver both superior performance and meaningful carbon emissions reductions.

We're working with world-class research institutions (including Royce Institute) and engaging with major industrial players across our target sectors as we scale from R&D to commercial deployment.

Our vision is to see Every Joule of fuel put to work and our mission is Protecting extreme temperature assets to deliver lower fuel costs, downtime and emissions.

The Role

We're looking for an exceptional individual to join our founding team as a Founder's Associate. This is not a traditional role with a fixed job description. Rather, we're searching for someone whose strengths, ambition, and working style complement our existing team & values, and who can grow into a leadership position as the company scales.

The role will evolve based on your unique capabilities and our most pressing needs. You'll work closely with both co-founders across the full spectrum of company building, with exposure to strategy, operations, commercial development, partnerships, fundraising, and more.

What we can say with certainty: business development will be a core component of your work. This includes researching potential customers and partners, developing relationships, understanding customer needs and use cases, integrating insights into our R&D activities, and helping to position our technology go-to-market. This is not a sales role focused on closing deals, but rather about building the foundation for future commercial success through research, relationship building, and strategic engagement.

We expect you to spend several days per week based at our office in Harwell Science & Innovation Campus (near Didcot), helping to manage and maximise our involvement in ESA BIC programme and wider Harwell ecosystem.

What You Might Work On

The specific mix will depend on your strengths and our evolving priorities, but could include:

Business Development & Market Engagement

• Research and map potential customer organisations across target sectors (aerospace, defence, industrial)
• Develop and maintain relationships with prospective customers, partners, and industry stakeholders
• Understand customer pain points, technical requirements, and procurement processes
• Support early customer engagement activities, including needs assessments and use case development
• Identify and evaluate partnership opportunities with complementary technology providers, system integrators, and channel partners
• Represent Blue Neptune at industry events, conferences, associations and networking forums

Strategic & Commercial Support

• Contribute to go-to-market strategy development and market prioritisation decisions
• Support competitive intelligence gathering and market landscape analysis
• Assist with commercial modelling, pricing strategy, and value proposition development
• Help develop customer-facing materials, case studies, and technical presentations
• Contribute to pitch decks, business plans, and strategic planning exercises

Fundraising & Investor Relations

• Support fundraising efforts, including investor research, deck preparation, and relationship management
• Assist with grant applications and reporting to funding bodies
• Help manage relationships with accelerators, advisors, and other ecosystem partners

Operations & Special Projects

• Take ownership of high-priority initiatives that cut across functions
• Support hiring, onboarding, and team development as we grow
• Contribute to operational processes, systems, and workflows
• Work with technical team to understand R&D progress and translate for external audiences
• Manage ad-hoc projects that arise in a fast-moving start-up environment

Who You Are

The right fit matters more than specific background. We're looking for someone who:

Essential Attributes

• Genuinely excited about deep tech and our mission - You're drawn to the intersection of advanced materials science, industrial applications, and climate impact. You want to be part of building something meaningful.
• Thrives in ambiguity and uncertainty - Early-stage start-ups are messy. You're comfortable with changing priorities, wearing multiple hats, and figuring things out as you go.
• Intellectually curious and quick to learn - You're not intimidated by technical complexity. You ask great questions, synthesise information rapidly, and can engage credibly with both technical and commercial stakeholders.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills - You build rapport easily, listen well, and adapt your communication style to different audiences. You're equally comfortable chatting with a materials scientist and pitching to a corporate VP.
• Self-directed and proactive - You don't need to be told what to do. You identify problems, propose solutions, and take initiative. You're comfortable with autonomy but know when to ask for help.
• Collaborative and team-oriented - You're joining a small, tight-knit founding team. You check your ego at the door, support your colleagues, demonstrate values of transparency and honesty, and prioritise team success over individual recognition.
• High standards and attention to detail - You take pride in your work. Whether it's a customer email or a financial model, you strive for high quality outputs.
• Resilient and adaptable - Start-ups involve setbacks, pivots, and dedication. You're in it for the long haul and can maintain energy and optimism through challenges.

Desirable Experience & Skills

We're more interested in potential and fit than credentials, but these backgrounds could be relevant:

• Experience in consulting, strategy, business development, or operations roles
• Exposure to B2B markets, particularly in industrial, aerospace, defence, or deep-tech sectors
• Track record of building relationships with senior stakeholders in technical or commercial contexts
• Experience in early-stage start-ups, angel/venture capital, or innovation ecosystems
• Technical or scientific background that helps you engage with our technology
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfort with data and financial modelling
• Project management experience and ability to drive initiatives to completion
• Familiarity with fundraising, grant applications, and/or investor relations

Educational background: No specific requirements, but many strong candidates will have undergraduate degrees in business, science, engineering, or related fields. Advanced degrees (MBA, MSc, PhD) are welcome but not required.

What We Offer

• Founding team opportunity - Join as an early team member with potential to grow into a leadership role as we scale. This is a career-defining opportunity for the right person.
• Meaningful equity stake - Opportunity for equity ownership that reflects your early-stage risk and contribution.
• Real impact - Work on technology that can decarbonise energy-intensive industries and enable next-generation aerospace and space applications.
• Exceptional learning environment - Work alongside experienced founders, world-class technical advisors, and leading research institutions. Exposure to the full spectrum of company building.
• Sector and network access - Engage with major players across aerospace, defence, space, and industrial sectors. Build a network in the deep-tech ecosystem.
• Flexibility and autonomy - Remote-friendly working, flexible hours, and ability to shape your role and company's direction.
• Supportive culture - Small team that values collaboration, intellectual honesty, continuous learning, and work-life balance.

Who We Are

Andrew Lea-Cox (CEO & Co-Founder): Background in natural sciences from Cambridge, with ~20 years of leadership roles across consulting, energy and industrial sectors and prior start-up experience. Leads commercial strategy, fundraising, partnerships, and external engagement.

Dr Surya Krishnaswamy (CTO & Co-Founder): Materials scientist and mechanical engineer with deep expertise in advanced materials, and their application in industry. Leads R&D, IP development, and technical execution.

We're collaborative, systems thinkers who value clear communication, evidence-based decision making, and pragmatic problem-solving. We're building a company culture that balances ambitious goals with intellectual rigour and mutual respect.

Application

Please send a CV and cover letter by clicking the button below

In your cover letter, help us understand:

• Why you're excited about Blue Neptune and this opportunity specifically
• What unique strengths you'd bring to founding team
• Examples of how you've thrived in ambiguous or high-autonomy environments
• Your medium-term career aspirations and how this role fits into them

We're especially interested in hearing about:

• Times you've built relationships or developed business opportunities in B2B contexts
• Projects or roles where you took initiative beyond your job description
• How you approach learning in technical or unfamiliar domains

Overview

Blue Neptune is developing advanced thermal insulation coatings for high-temperature industrial and aerospace applications. Our technology addresses critical thermal management challenges across multiple sectors, including defence, space, aviation, and energy-intensive industries.

As an early-stage deep-tech venture backed by leading accelerators and innovation programmes (including the European Space Agency Business Incubator, Undaunted Greenhouse, and Carbon13), we're at an exciting inflection point. We're translating cutting-edge materials science into commercially viable solutions that deliver both superior performance and meaningful carbon emissions reductions.

We're working with world-class research institutions and engaging with major industrial players across our target sectors as we scale from R&D to commercial deployment.

Role Purpose

We're seeking an analytically rigorous and commercially minded business school intern to help build out our go-to-market strategy across multiple target sectors and application areas. This role is critical to shaping how we prioritise market entry, allocate resources, and communicate our value proposition to customers, partners, and investors. You'll work directly with the founding team to develop a comprehensive, data-driven market strategy that aligns with our ambitious, multi-sector product development roadmap.

Key Responsibilities

Market Analysis & Sizing

• Conduct detailed market analysis for each target sector and application area
• Size addressable markets using multiple methodologies (top-down and bottom-up approaches)
• Identify key market drivers, trends, and dynamics in each sector
• Map competitive landscapes and analyse incumbent solutions

Commercial & Impact Modelling

• Build unit economics models for different application areas, including pricing strategies, cost structures, and margin analysis
• Develop carbon case assessments quantifying emissions reductions and environmental impact for each use case (time permitting)
• Model customer adoption curves and revenue potential across different market entry scenarios

Strategic Insights & Recommendations

• Consolidate research and analysis into a comprehensive go-to-market strategy report
• Identify and evaluate market entry opportunities, including prioritisation frameworks
• Assess commercial risks and mitigation strategies for each sector
• Develop tactical recommendations for customer engagement, partnership strategies, and market positioning

Stakeholder Engagement

• Support commercial conversations with potential customers and partners by preparing briefing materials and commercial analysis
• Contribute to investor materials and funding applications by articulating market opportunity and commercial traction
• Help refine value propositions for different customer segments
• Help refine value propositions for different customer segments

Additional Scope

• Support competitive intelligence gathering and ongoing market monitoring
• Contribute to commercial pipeline tracking and opportunity qualification
• Assist with business development materials, case studies, and customer-facing collateral

Requirements

Education & Background

• Currently enrolled in or recently completed an MBA or Master's programme at a top-tier business school
• Strong academic record with coursework in strategy, finance, or entrepreneurship

Skills & Experience

• Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills; experience building financial/commercial models
• Strong research capabilities and ability to synthesise insights from diverse sources
• Experience with market sizing, competitive analysis, and go-to-market strategy development
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in Excel; experience with coding, analytics & data visualisation tools a plus

Attributes

• Self-starter who thrives in ambiguous, fast-paced environments
• Intellectual curiosity and willingness to dive deep into technical and commercial details
• Strategic thinker who can balance rigorous analysis with pragmatic recommendations
• Genuine interest in deep tech, sustainability, and/or industrial innovation
• Comfort working independently while collaborating closely with a small founding team

Nice to Have

• Prior experience in consulting, corporate strategy, or venture capital
• Familiarity with aerospace, defence, or industrial sectors
• Understanding of climate tech or decarbonisation strategies
• Experience in early-stage startups or innovation programmes

What we offer

• Real impact: Shape commercial strategy for a deep-tech venture with the potential to decarbonise energy-intensive industries
• Hands-on experience: Work directly with founders and advisors on high-priority strategic initiatives; your work will directly influence business decisions
• Sector exposure: Gain insights into aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, and climate tech ecosystems
• Network access: Engage with leading research institutions, industry partners, and investors in the deep-tech space
• Flexibility: Ability to work remotely and/or at our co-working space at Imperial College in White City, London
• Professional development:strong Opportunity for mentorship and potential for extended engagement based on performance and mutual fit

Application

Send your CV and cover letter by clicking the button below

About Blue Neptune

Blue Neptune is developing advanced thermal insulation coatings for high-temperature industrial and aerospace applications. Our technology addresses critical thermal management challenges across multiple sectors, including defence, space, aviation, and energy-intensive industries.

As an early-stage deep-tech venture backed by leading accelerators and innovation programmes (including European Space Agency Business Incubator, Undaunted Greenhouse, and Carbon13), we're at an exciting inflection point. We're translating cutting-edge materials science into commercially viable solutions that deliver both superior performance and meaningful carbon emissions reductions.

We're working with world-class research institutions and engaging with major industrial players across our target sectors as we scale from R&D to commercial deployment.

Role Purpose

We're seeking an analytical, passionate and technically oriented intern to support Blue Neptune's R&D team in developing, preparing, and testing thermal insulation coating formulations and architectures for high-temperature industrial and aerospace applications.

You'll work hands-on in lab to help translate early-stage materials science into repeatable, scalable coatings, contributing experimental data, documentation, and practical improvements to formulations and processes.

Key Responsibilities

Formulation and Coating Development

• Prepare and iterate coating formulations including precursor, solvent and formulation screening
• Support development of coating architectures to improve thermal performance, adhesion and durability
• Plan, prepare, and track samples/substrates for advanced coating steps, including cleaning, masking, labelling, and handling protocols
• Apply coatings using lab-scale methods with attention to thickness control and repeatability
• Support development of other advanced coating process and methodologies
• Maintain detailed experimental records such as formulation logs, batch records, and sample traceability to enable consistent experimentation

Testing, Characterisation & Data

• Conduct routine lab testing
• Prepare samples for internal/external characterisation and interpret results with guidance
• Analyse data, identify trends, and summarise findings clearly for regular technical updates

Lab operations & safety

• Follow all lab safety procedures (COSHH, PPE, waste segregation) and maintain tidy, audit-ready lab practices
• Contribute to authorship of all H&S and/or compliance documentation
• Help with routine lab upkeep: stock checks, consumables ordering support, basic equipment calibration/maintenance logs

Additional Scope

• Support in decision making and sample down selection
• Occasional travel to testing facilities across country if required
• Write regular reports on experimental work and present results to stakeholders at request

Requirements

Essential

• Currently studying (or recently completed) a degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline
• Hands-on wet lab experience (university labs, research projects, internships) with safe handling of chemicals and standard lab practice
• Interest in coatings, porous materials and/or composites
• Strong experimental discipline: careful measurement, repeatability, structured note-taking, and comfort running iterative experiments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Attributes

• Self-starter who thrives in ambiguous, fast-paced environments
• Intellectual curiosity and willingness to dive deep into technical details
• Genuine interest in deep tech, sustainability, and/or industrial innovation
• Comfortable working independently with some ambiguity while collaborating closely with a small founding team
• Able to synthesis data and propose practical next-step experiments

Nice to Have

• Knowledge of low conductivity materials and/or ceramics
• Familiarity with common coating methods e.g. spray, sol-gel, PVD/CVD, etc
• Experience working in shared user-facilities environments
• Experience in early-stage startups or innovation programmes

The applicant must be able to work on-site at our lab in White City, London for majority of internship.

What We Offer

• Real technical impact: Contribute directly to development of high-temperature insulation coatings; your experiments will shape formulation and coating architecture decisions
• Hands-on lab experience: Work side-by-side with R&D team and founders in our White City lab, owning well-defined experimental workstreams from preparation to testing and reporting
• Sector relevance: Build practical insight into materials challenges in aerospace, defence, energy-intensive industry, and climate-tech applications
• Network access: Engage with world-class research institutions and industrial partners involved in validating and scaling technology
• Flexibility: Access to our 24-hour lab space in White City, with some remote work possible for data analysis, write-ups, and planning (role remains primarily on-site)
• Professional development: Opportunity for mentorship and potential for extended engagement based on performance and mutual fit

Application

Please send a CV and cover letter by clicking the button below