Nikolai Semenov

Belgrade, Serbia

Applied R&D — biobased and fiber-filled polymer composites for food-contact packaging

Owned applied R&D and product development for biobased and fiber-filled polymer composites destined for rigid food-contact packaging (trays, cups, lids), covering materials characterization of moisture-sensitive biopolymer systems through formulation, pilot validation, and industrial scale-up. Designed experimental programs combining laboratory work with pilot-line trials and prepared regulatory-facing technical documentation for pilot customers.

• Built the R&D function from inception — set up the laboratory (equipment specification, supplier qualification, method validation) and recruited and led a 4-person team (2 PhDs, 2 engineers).
• Developed and optimized 6+ biobased and fiber-filled polymer formulations for rigid food-contact packaging (trays, cups, lids), advancing each from concept to pilot customer validation.
• Extended fresh berry shelf life by 7 daysand mushroom shelf life by 4 days through targeted material selection and barrier packaging optimization, directly enabling customer retail commercialization.
• Prepared material specifications, validation protocols, and production-oriented technical documentation for pilot customers in compliance with EU Regulation 10/2011 and 1935/2004.
• Optimized tooling parameters and processing windows, cutting defect rates and enabling reliable output across extrusion and injection-molding platforms.
• Examined structure–property relationships of moisture-sensitive polymer systems, with findings feeding directly into formulation decisions.
• Performed manufacturability pre-screening of part geometry using Altair Inspire Mold (draft angle analysis, venting layout, air trap prediction) to validate formulation–process compatibility before issuing tooling specifications to mold designers.

Moscow, Russia · Polymer Materials Science

15-year engineering career across formulation development, composite reinforcement, and industrial technology transfer

Owned formulation and process development for filled polymer systems, elastomers, and composite materials over a 15-year tenure, contributed to 6+ joint industrial–academic R&D programs from concept through technology transfer for commercial clients. Built and ran experimental programs to diagnose processing issues, optimize filler–matrix interactions, and translate material behavior into robust, production-ready formulations. Supervised technical staff and mentored junior engineers through project delivery.

• Smart Materials Engineering: developed field-responsive (electro- and magnetorheological) elastomer and suspension formulations for a semi-active vibration-control device program; supervised the experimental team and coordinated cross-group collaboration through to working prototypes. Optimized curing formulations for structural adhesives and industrial coatings to eliminate processing defects.
• Rubber & Composite Formulation: Developed reinforced rubber and elastomeric composite formulations, including surface activation and modification of natural and mineral fillers to meet target mechanical properties. Designed and implemented an organosilane-based surface-modification process for mineral fillers, including in-situ modification during milling, as lead engineer on a materials-development project.
• Process & Quality Diagnostics: Used AFM and interferometric surface analysis to troubleshoot filler–matrix interactions in highly filled systems and resolve quality issues; applied the same diagnostic toolkit to root-cause analysis of impact-damaged materials on a project investigating failure mechanisms of protective screens.
• Industrial Silicone & Composite Engineering: Directed development and scale-up of silicone insulator formulations, authoring full SOPs for production; formulated fiber-reinforced polymers and specialized elastomeric damping materials operating across a −50 °C to +30 °C range, including development of torsion dampers for overhead ultra-high-voltage power lines, with documentation prepared for industrial implementation.
• Biomedical Materials Engineering: Engineered core-shell magnetically responsive sorbent materials for selective target extraction and developed analytical workflows for bio-fluid processing and fractionation.
• Early-Career Materials Development: Developed and tested low-filled elastomer formulations containing carbon nanotubes and conducted probe-microscopy-based quality assessment of reinforcement performance in hyperelastic composites with low nanofiller content.
• Technical Leadership: Supervised 6 MSc students and mentored junior researchers through applied project completion in polymer materials development; authored 15+ technical/peer-reviewed publications documenting formulation and process work.

Moscow, Russia · part-time, ~20% FTE

Sustainable packaging startup — fully plant-based biodegradable composites

• Co-founded the venture and directed applied R&D for a sustainable packaging startup, conducting research on fully biobased polymer composites for disposable, injection-molded materials including cups and tableware.
• Studied degradation behavior and environmental stability of plant-based polymer systems, including testing under saline-water exposure and real-use conditions, bridging experimental research with pilot-scale material validation.
• Delivered an MVP in pilot manufacturing, positioning the company for commercial launch.
• Formulated and optimized materials across 2+ processing platforms (injection molding, compounding), achieving consistent part quality at pilot scale.
• Performed mold filling simulation using SolidWorks Plastics (flow analysis, weld line prediction, air trap identification) to validate material processability and generate technical specifications for mold designers.

Worldwide · remote, ~5% FTE, self-employed

• Advised 5+ SME clients on polymer compounding, extrusion, and injection-molding start-up and stabilization, diagnosing formulation and processing errors that were causing costly production instability.
• Launched and stabilized one industrial compounding line from equipment commissioning through first-article qualification.
• Developed 10+ custom polymer formulations (wood–plastic composites, recycled PVC, elastomers, silicones) tailored to specific processing constraints, reducing variability during early production runs.
• Implemented quality control procedures and raw-material qualification workflows, establishing repeatable production standards across multiple client facilities.