Looking for a job

Sofia Chaintouti

@sofiachaintouti

Message

Impact-driven engineering leader specializing in sustainable materials, circular economy and product innovation.

United Kingdom

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek senior roles leading technology, materials and circular-economy R&D programs where I can drive technical innovation, mentor teams, and deliver measurable environmental and commercial impact.

I am an impact-oriented engineering professional with 10+ years leading technical innovation projects from concept through deployment, focused on sustainable materials and circular-economy solutions. I have driven measurable outcomes — contributing to DuPont photovoltaic products that supported >$600M revenue and building Dyson's first recycled-content program to 27% adoption — while guiding cross-functional teams through ambiguous, first-of-kind programs.

I lead multi-country R&D programs, mentor technical teams, and translate technical insight into business cases and production-ready implementations. I am passionate about applying engineering innovation to reduce environmental impact, embed ESG-aligned strategies, and deliver commercially viable, science-driven solutions.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Innovation & Technical Consultant

Current

Freelance Consultant

Sep 2025 - Present (5 months)

Advise companies on embedding sustainable and circular strategies into product development, delivering feasibility assessments, stakeholder alignment, and technology roadmaps to de-risk early-stage technical projects.

Sustainability Circular Economy Roadmapping Stakeholder Management Feasibility Assessment Project Management

Engineering Manager – R&D

Dyson

Apr 2020 - Oct 2024 (4 years 6 months)

Led an 8-person materials team to deliver Dyson’s inaugural circular economy programme, growing recycled content to 27% and driving cross-functional deployment of sustainable materials across multiple production sites.

Materials Engineering Circular Economy Product Validation Stakeholder Engagement

Senior Materials Engineer

Dyson

Jun 2018 - Mar 2020 (1 year 9 months)

Introduced recycled materials into mass production, led sustainability inputs for DfX reviews, and built business cases for materials databases to support product sustainability and compliance.

Risk Assessment Product Development

Advanced Materials Engineer

Dyson

Jun 2017 - Jun 2018 (1 year)

Developed and implemented material solutions for floorcare products, balancing performance, cost and compliance while guiding cross-functional teams through technical risk assessments.

Product Development Cross Functional Collaboration Compliance Testing Process Scale Up

Development Scientist

DuPont Microcircuit Materials

Dec 2015 - Jul 2016 (7 months)

Designed and executed R&D experiments for photovoltaic and LED materials, contributing to metallization paste products that supported over $600M in revenue and managing lab-to-scale-up transitions.

Photovoltaic Materials Scaling APQP

R&D Technologist

DuPont Microcircuit Materials

Oct 2012 - Nov 2015 (3 years 1 month)

Developed high-performance polymeric inks and evaluated novel formulations for various applications, supporting product commercialization and global technical engagement.

Benchmarking Technical Reporting Manufacturing Handover

Photovoltaics Technologist

DuPont Microcircuit Materials

Apr 2011 - Sep 2012 (1 year 5 months)

Researched and developed metallization pastes and printed electronics approaches for solar applications, contributing to product lines and supporting commercial teams.

Metallization Pastes Electrochemical Deposition Materials Testing

Materials Engineer

Royal Academy of Engineering

May 2010 - Jun 2010 (1 month)

Delivered interactive workshops on renewable energy and sustainable engineering practices to school students, fostering engagement and knowledge transfer.

Renewable Energy Communication

Research Assistant

Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology

Nov 2009 - Jun 2010 (7 months)

Conducted research on thin-film photovoltaic materials (CIS/CIGS), performing electrochemical deposition and characterisation to support R&D projects and publications.

Electrochemical Deposition Data Analysis

Office Assistant

Planning & Research Association

Apr 2007 - Oct 2009 (2 years 6 months)

Assisted preparation of environmental project reports, including data analysis, document translation, and compliance checks with EU and national regulations.

Data Analysis Report Preparation Regulatory Compliance Administrative Support

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

National Technical University of Athens

Master of Science, Microsystems & Nanodevices

2006 - 2009

Grade: Very Good (7.89/10)

Completed an MSc in Microsystems & Nanodevices focused on photovoltaic technologies, thin films for renewables, and materials for energy systems.

University of Ioannina

Bachelor and Master of Engineering (Integrated), Materials Science & Engineering

1999 - 2005

Grade: Very Good (7.07/10) │ UK equivalent (2:1)

Completed an integrated BEng/MEng in Materials Science & Engineering with coursework and projects in materials for engineering applications; UK equivalent 2:1.