Senior methanol trader

SENIOR METHANOL TRADER
Location: Geneva, Switzerland - full-time on-site
Start date: 1 October 2026
Contract: Permanent, 100%

ABOUT US
We are a full-cycle biodiesel producer and one of the largest biofuels players in South-East Europe. Our Geneva office is the trading arm of a wider industrial and financial group employing over 1,300 people, with more than fifteen years of operational experience in the sector.

Our ambition is to grow from a regional leader into a pan-European champion in biofuels, and to build a profitable business at the forefront of the energy transition. The methanol desk is central to that: it secures the single most critical input to our production chain and runs a trading book of its own.

THE ROLE
We are hiring a Senior Methanol Trader to build out and lead our methanol desk, and to execute our methanol trading and sourcing strategies across the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub and Eastern Europe. You will develop and manage a trading portfolio within approved risk limits, source third-party methanol on a spot and term basis, help train the supporting operations function, and work alongside our Origination, Shipping, Operations, Risk, Finance, Legal and Compliance teams, and with counterparts across the group.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Execute methanol trading and sourcing strategies across the ARA hub and in Eastern Europe, including sourcing of third-party methanol on term contract and spot basis.
Build, develop and manage a methanol trading book from an early stage, growing third-party traded volumes, while operating within approved risk limits.
Analyse global methanol fundamentals: supply and demand balances, storage, shipping, weather, geopolitical developments and pricing dynamics.
Identify arbitrage opportunities across the ARA hub and in Eastern Europe.
Optimise physical cargo movements, including storage tank planning, vessel planning and freight optimisation, in close collaboration with the Shipping and Operations teams.
Build and maintain strong commercial relationships with producers, suppliers, utilities, traders and other market participants.
Negotiate spot and term methanol purchase and sales agreements, as well as storage contracts in the ARA hub and agreements with surveyor companies.
Work closely with Origination, Shipping, Operations, Risk, Finance, Legal and Compliance to ensure efficient trade execution.
Train, mentor and develop operations and trading support personnel on methanol operations.
Prepare regular market and performance reviews and present them periodically to senior management and the Board of Directors.
Monitor market developments and identify new trading and origination opportunities.
Ensure compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements and risk management frameworks.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Required:
Demonstrable experience trading physical commodities - primarily methanol, as well as other petrochemicals (such as ethyl acetate or purified terephthalic acid), oleochemicals, biofuels or refined products - with at least 10 years in a senior trading, PnL or business development role, including direct PnL responsibility for a methanol book.
In-depth working knowledge of the ARA hub, including its storage tank operators, storage contracts and logistics; knowledge of Eastern European and Black Sea markets is an asset.
Solid command of physical contract structures (Incoterms, specifications, pricing mechanisms, laytime and demurrage), of shipping documentation (bills of lading, letters of credit, certificates of origin) and of physical trade swap strategies and hedging.
Ability to run a book within defined risk limits and to make decisions under time pressure with incomplete information.
Strong negotiation skills and a credible network of producers, suppliers and counterparties in Europe and the Middle East.
Proven track record of building a methanol trading business for a new market participant and growing it to a substantial scale.
Fluent English, written and spoken.
Right to work in Switzerland, or eligibility to obtain the necessary permit. The employment is conditional on the grant of any required work permit.

Advantageous:
Familiarity with the biodiesel value chain, renewable fuels, green methanol and green/blue ammonia markets, and European renewable fuels and net-zero regulation.
Additional languages, in particular French, German, Bulgarian, Russian or Farsi/Persian.
University degree in law, economics, finance, engineering, chemistry or a related field.
Proficiency with SAP or a comparable ERP and deal-capture system.
Prior professional experience in Switzerland or with Swiss-based trading companies.
Consulting, market-analysis or industry training experience in the oil, gas and petrochemicals sectors.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Working time is driven by the needs of the desk and averages at least 40 hours per week. Given the level of the position, overtime is covered by the salary and is not separately compensated in cash or time off.

Full-time presence at our Geneva office is required. Working from home is possible only with the prior agreement of management, which is granted at its discretion and may be withdrawn.

The role involves a substantial amount of business travel, in Switzerland and abroad.

The position carries standard obligations for a trading role: strict and permanent confidentiality, assignment of work results and intellectual property to the Company, prior written approval for any outside activity or participation in a non-listed company, and immediate disclosure of any potential conflict of interest.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, sex, gender or gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital or partnership status, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic or medical information, caregiver status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

HOW TO APPLY
Send your CV and a short covering letter to info@astrabiotrading.ch.