Process Development Engineer
over 2 years ago
Full time role
San Francisco, CA, US
San Francisco, CA, US
Job Description
Company Summary
Heirloom’s mission is to accelerate our planet’s transition to a carbon negative society. We will capture 1B tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2035 (equivalent of ~60M Americans’ annual emissions today), and build a multi-billion dollar business along the way. The problem we are solving is that according to IPCC, billions of tons of CO2 need to removed from the atmosphere (in addition to decarbonizing the entire economy) by 2050 to keep global warming to 1.5 °C, but current technologies are too expensive and not scalable to the volume necessary.
Unlike traditional engineered removal solutions, our Nature published technology combines the natural properties of minerals (carbon mineralization) with engineering to provide a low cost path to $50/tCO2 for Direct Air Capture (DAC), the cost at which carbon removal will be transformative.
Our early customers are corporations and other entities that need to reduce and offset their carbon emissions to meet compliance requirements or carbon pledges. Our go-to-market strategy allows us to be unit profitable from day one, and reach >$1B in revenue just from existing markets and pledges. Our $100B opportunity lies with carbon markets set for creation in the EU, US, and other markets.
About the job
The Heirloom team is on a path to creating a sustainable, scalable, and economically viable carbon removal system. This technology - which requires a unique blend of geology, chemistry, industrial engineering, and process engineering - doesn’t yet exist at the scales necessary to make a difference, so we need to build it ourselves.
We are looking for dedicated and motivated process development engineers to help us design and build systems that capture CO2 directly from the air. In this role, you will use fundamental scientific concepts, as well as the latest research and methodologies to design, integrate and implement successful processes for CO2 regeneration from an enhanced weathering process.
You and the rest of the research team will design and implement experiments targeted at scaling the CO2 regeneration process, including process design, optimization, integration, and characterization. You will help shape the exploratory research and development phase and test new ideas and setups. As we scale, you will help us design and build the infrastructure to operate at the industrial levels necessary to effect global change and on our CO2 footprint.
We are committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion and equity, starting with our commitment to fostering diversity within our Heirloom team. We are able to grow and learn better with a diverse team, which is exactly what our planet needs. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ people, and veterans.
Please note: while we appreciate all applicants, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted by our team.
Heirloom’s mission is to accelerate our planet’s transition to a carbon negative society. We will capture 1B tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2035 (equivalent of ~60M Americans’ annual emissions today), and build a multi-billion dollar business along the way. The problem we are solving is that according to IPCC, billions of tons of CO2 need to removed from the atmosphere (in addition to decarbonizing the entire economy) by 2050 to keep global warming to 1.5 °C, but current technologies are too expensive and not scalable to the volume necessary.
Unlike traditional engineered removal solutions, our Nature published technology combines the natural properties of minerals (carbon mineralization) with engineering to provide a low cost path to $50/tCO2 for Direct Air Capture (DAC), the cost at which carbon removal will be transformative.
Our early customers are corporations and other entities that need to reduce and offset their carbon emissions to meet compliance requirements or carbon pledges. Our go-to-market strategy allows us to be unit profitable from day one, and reach >$1B in revenue just from existing markets and pledges. Our $100B opportunity lies with carbon markets set for creation in the EU, US, and other markets.
About the job
The Heirloom team is on a path to creating a sustainable, scalable, and economically viable carbon removal system. This technology - which requires a unique blend of geology, chemistry, industrial engineering, and process engineering - doesn’t yet exist at the scales necessary to make a difference, so we need to build it ourselves.
We are looking for dedicated and motivated process development engineers to help us design and build systems that capture CO2 directly from the air. In this role, you will use fundamental scientific concepts, as well as the latest research and methodologies to design, integrate and implement successful processes for CO2 regeneration from an enhanced weathering process.
You and the rest of the research team will design and implement experiments targeted at scaling the CO2 regeneration process, including process design, optimization, integration, and characterization. You will help shape the exploratory research and development phase and test new ideas and setups. As we scale, you will help us design and build the infrastructure to operate at the industrial levels necessary to effect global change and on our CO2 footprint.
Requirements
- Work directly on reactor design, optimization, and integration into the cyclic capture process.
- Design experiments to test major process steps, working directly with a team of scientists and engineers. This will include the design of thermochemical systems, process optimization and integration.
- Study the thermochemical process to determine the impact on material properties.
- Work as a part of a team of world-class scientists and engineers to execute on our development plans, with an urgency rooted in the importance of our mission.
- Work with our engineering team to figure out how to scale from grams to kilos to gigatons of CO2.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (such as Chemical or Process engineering, or a related field), Applied Science (Geology, Chemistry, Physics, or related field) or equivalent practical experience.
- ≥ 5 years of relevant work or research experience in an applied field with expertise in thermochemical processes, materials engineering/science, and/or process engineering.
- Knowledge of and experience with high temperature reactors, reactor design, and instrumentation.
- Experience with critical problem solving and complex engineering systems.
- Previous experience working in high output teams.
Bonus Points
- Experience with experimental design and scale-up to achieve cost targets.
- Experience or familiarity with cement production technologies, such as calcination.
- Knowledge of chemistry/geochemistry/physics, particularly with an advanced degree.
- Expertise in materials characterization and processing, including surface characterization, carbon content, and reactivity studies.
- Knowledge and previous performance of life cycle assessments and/or techno-economic analyses. Additional bonus if this involved early-stage technologies. Lab and/or field experience.
- Knowledge of the landscape for carbon removal technologies
We are committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion and equity, starting with our commitment to fostering diversity within our Heirloom team. We are able to grow and learn better with a diverse team, which is exactly what our planet needs. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ people, and veterans.
Please note: while we appreciate all applicants, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted by our team.
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