Technical Co-Founder in Residence - Enabling the Capture of CO₂ from the Air

Join Us as a Founder in Residence in Climate

This is an exciting opportunity to co-found a company focussed on scaling the manufacture & deployment of Direct Air Capture (DAC) - using a modular platform approach combined with novel process enabling technology, and partnering with existing leaders in the space to supercharge learning and rapidly drive down cost.

You’ll work closely with the DSV team and the current Founder in Residence for this area to co-found and spin-out a new company. Once the new venture is incorporated with pre-seed investment from DSV, you and your co-founders will own the majority stake in the business and continue receiving support from the DSV team post-spinout.

The role is full-time, initially remote, but transitioning to a hybrid role post spinout - anticipating offices and lab space based in the South-East of the UK.

The Opportunity: Enabling the Capture of CO₂ from the Air

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) by DAC is an exciting technology space with many established and emerging process technologies - technologies that need to achieve production scale rapidly to play their part in achieving global net-zero emission goals by mid-century.

Whilst many DAC processes are characterised by unique core technology elements, the companies driving their development are also tackling engineering challenges that are common across processes - and struggling with the compromises of leveraging mature solutions from adjacent sectors. We believe that there is an opportunity to leapfrog suppliers in these adjacent sectors, and rapidly grow a technology & manufacturing business - by building strong partnerships with process developers, taking a requirements led approach, and bringing innovative technology to bear on unmet needs.

This is especially true in the sub-process of air-contacting - in which air is moved through a reactor, and meets either a solid or liquid sorbent material. In air-liquid DAC processes in particular, there is an openness to collaborate, a lack of agility in adjacent supply chains, and the need for an enabling-technology led approach.

Our Approach

We have devised a technology concept that addresses a critical challenge in air contacting, allowing us to reduce operational cost, and widen the geographic deployability of these processes. And we are building traction with several partners to collaborate on proving the technology and developing the wider platform requirements.

We are now looking for a technically-minded co-founder, who will:

• take the lead on cementing the value proposition of our technology, through a combination of modelling and prototype development, and
• help to shape a team that will work closely with customers and partners to develop a platform product that supercharges their scale-up journey.

Requirements

Who Should Apply

The successful candidate will meet several of the following criteria:

• PhD or equivalent industry know-how, focussed on:
• the simulation and design of multiphase mass-transfer reactors, using 1-d, 2-d or finite element analysis techniques.
• thermodynamics, thermal management and heat recovery in multiphase process systems - for example vacuum distillation, flash evaporation, desalination or similar application areas.
• Demonstrates a broad understanding of the processes for Direct Air Capture, and the techno-economic modelling required to optimise total or levelised cost over the product lifecycle.
• Experienced in building and scaling new technologies from concept to demonstration; able to articulate lean principles and maintain a focus on customers and value generation.
• Keen awareness of the importance of safety, quality and cost in formulating requirements for products and solutions.
• Self-confidence and self-reliance in both theoretical and experimental engineering disciplines: able to formulate strategies for solving problems, and drive progress, even when operating outside your established experience or skillset.
• Attention to detail, and empathetic when communicating in person or in writing - able to listen, formulate open and closed questions effectively, and quickly assimilate the perspectives and needs of others.

Benefits

Our Offer

By joining DSV, you will be part of a team of operators who have founded companies and led the translation of science at some of the most respected universities, charities, funds, and government agencies. Here’s what we offer:

• Access to optimised, purpose-built, proprietary tools, resources, and processes to help create high-impact ventures from scratch;
• Opportunity area-specific know-how from our network of Partners and Advisors;
• Up to £250k in investment to incorporate the new venture and develop early proof-of-concept data;
• Guaranteed income of £4,166 per month paid as a consultancy fee until the company is launched and the pre-seed investment is secured;
• Majority equity stake in the new company for you and your co-founders;
• Continuous post-spinout support, including fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, and team-building;
• Collaborative support from dozens of Founders currently at DSV across sectors.

About DSV

Deep Science Ventures is creating a future in which both humans and the planet can thrive.

We use our unique venture creation process to create, spin-out and invest into science companies, combining available scientific knowledge and founder-type scientists into high-impact ventures.

We operate in 4 sectors: Pharmaceuticals, Climate, Agriculture and Computation, tackling the challenges defining those areas by taking a first principles approach and partnering with leading institutions.