Chemical Process Lead

We are an early startup with a big vision - capture 0.5GT of global CO2 emissions from the air by 2035 through biotechnology, roughly the same weight as all humans on earth combined!

To meet our climate targets the reduction of CO2 emissions is not enough, the world actively has to capture billions of tons of CO2 from our atmosphere. To achieve that we at Ucaneo develop the world’s first biomimetic Direct Air Capture technology to remove CO2 from ambient air.

We are a science and mission-driven team, fast-moving with a break-or-make attitude. Our lab is at Campus Buch Berlin, one of the biggest biotech parks in Germany. Our office is located in the heart of Berlin, at Torstraße 110.

Starting Date: 1st July 2023

Tasks

Your mission: Developing an efficient electrochemical process using Bipolar Membranes to remove CO2 from the atmosphere in a container-sized product.

Responsibilities

We're seeking a skilled Chemical Process Lead to join our Berlin-based startup, focusing on improving our electrochemical process in an industrial unit. Operating in an agile environment, you'll oversee the Chemical Process Team to develop cell design, solvent choice and operating parameters to balance absorption and desorption process energy-efficiently while maintaining low CAPEX and durability at an industrial scale. You will closely collaborate with technical leads in Hardware Engineering, IoT and Product lead. You'll also lead strategic planning and technical input at the C-Level.

Key Points

• Leading the Chemical process team (3-6) and bridging scientific detailed knowledge on electrochemistry with an industrial process engineering perspective
• Balance efficiency between absorption and desorption process considering thermodynamic, kinetic and practical aspects
• Creating a development strategy that highlights major risks and mitigation strategy through inhouse or outsourcing efforts incl budget allocation
• Development of the electrochemical process, including cell design, membrane selection, solvent choice, electrolyte choice and operating conditions
• Long-term research efforts considering new materials or designs to improve the process incl intellectual property development and academic collaboration
• Stakeholder management with suppliers incl essential relationships with membrane & stack suppliers

Requirements

Skills and experience

• University’s degree in process or electrochemical engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years RnD experience bipolar membranes in Direct Air Capture, water treatment, battery development or CO2 conversion
• Industrial experience in developing electrochemical processes from lab to industrial scale, ideally using bipolar membranes
• Experience with tools for process simulation, such as COMSOL, Aspen HYSYS or Ansys
• Overview of material science and chemistry
• Good understanding of process engineering, mass balance, thermodynamics and kinetics
• Ideally experience with industrial products at container-scale and hardware startups
• Experience in upward and downward management, team leadership and cross-sectional team constellations

Workstyle and culture

• Fast learning and quick to grasp complex topics
• A team player with a hands-on mentality
• Authentic and reflective self
• self-Organizer and structures workstyle to keep focus and get things done
• Good listener and effective communicator in cross-sectional team
• Curious and open-minded

Other

• Valid Work Permit for Germany, or able to obtain a permit
• Location: Exiting industrial Co-Working Space in Mazahn where we have our own industrial halls to build

Benefits

• Impact: You will work on the biggest problem of our time, climate change, with the potential to impact the lives of billions of people
• Day to day: Full responsibility to design your own workstream and control your working hours with a very high degree of freedom, flat hierarchy and teamwork
• Professional growth: Join a disruptive high-growth tech startup from day 1 and grow / lead a high-performing team

Perks

• Employee stock options
• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid working
• Regular team events
• Subsidized BVG ticket
• Laptop and your individual work set-up

Starting Date: 1st July 2023

If you are a strategic leader with a strong background in hardware engineering, passionate about driving innovation, and have a proven track record of team transformation, we invite you to join our dynamic organization and lead our hardware department to new heights.

While we appreciate all applicants, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted by our team.