Reaction Engineer (Senior and above)
San Francisco, CA
Full Time
Experienced
About Ammobia
Ammobia is on a mission to revolutionize the ammonia industry. We are a seed-stage startup developing Haber Bosch 2.0 – a next-generation ammonia synthesis process enabling cost-effective, clean ammonia production. Until now, ammonia production has been a highly polluting, steady-state, high inertia process. We are developing new regimes of physics and plant design that require dynamic processes, especially for ammonia production from intermittent renewable energy sources. Clean ammonia will support ammonia’s growing role in our decarbonized world, tackling some of the most difficult to abate sectors including chemicals, fertilizers, and heavy-duty transportation. We are supported by leading climate tech organizations including Starlight Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Third Derivative, Forbes 30u30, and more.
Job Description
Ammobia is seeking a motivated and creative Reaction Engineer to develop and optimize our ammonia production process. You will be our lead experimentalist scaling our reaction process at the bench and pilot scale. Your primary focus will be the reactor – process parameters, active materials, and architectures; you will interface directly with equipment, materials, and process engineers and contribute to technical development across the company. There is significant opportunity to grow your role alongside the company.
Ammobia is on a mission to revolutionize the ammonia industry. We are a seed-stage startup developing Haber Bosch 2.0 – a next-generation ammonia synthesis process enabling cost-effective, clean ammonia production. Until now, ammonia production has been a highly polluting, steady-state, high inertia process. We are developing new regimes of physics and plant design that require dynamic processes, especially for ammonia production from intermittent renewable energy sources. Clean ammonia will support ammonia’s growing role in our decarbonized world, tackling some of the most difficult to abate sectors including chemicals, fertilizers, and heavy-duty transportation. We are supported by leading climate tech organizations including Starlight Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Third Derivative, Forbes 30u30, and more.
Job Description
Ammobia is seeking a motivated and creative Reaction Engineer to develop and optimize our ammonia production process. You will be our lead experimentalist scaling our reaction process at the bench and pilot scale. Your primary focus will be the reactor – process parameters, active materials, and architectures; you will interface directly with equipment, materials, and process engineers and contribute to technical development across the company. There is significant opportunity to grow your role alongside the company.
- Lead experimental efforts for bench scale reaction process development
- Design, analyze, and optimize thermocatalytic experiments and processes
- Design reactor and process systems at increasing scales, alongside process and equipment engineers
- Guide and mentor junior R&D chemical and materials engineers
- Characterize, specify, and select ammonia synthesis catalysts
- Develop intellectual property, including trade secrets and patents
Who you are
You are a creative, data driven problem solver who works from first principles. You enjoy fast paced, creative, and collaborative work; you work with a bias towards action and overcommunication; and you thrive with high levels of autonomy and ownership.
Successful applicants will have most of the following
- 5+ years’ experience in a relevant industrial setting
- Demonstrated expertise in reaction engineering, catalysis, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer
- Demonstrated expertise in process development, experimental design, and optimization, especially through design-of-experiments techniques
- Demonstrated expertise in data analysis, especially for time-series data from dynamic processes, e.g. with Python, MATLAB, or similar
- Hands on experience operating bench scale reactor equipment, working knowledge of bench scale gas handling/sensing instrumentation (mass flow controllers, pressure regulators, temperature sensors, pressure sensors)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience and enthusiasm to mentor junior engineers
Nice-to-have
- PhD or MS in chemical engineering or similar
- Hands on experience designing and building bench-to-pilot scale reactor equipment, especially developing PFDs, P&IDs
- Experience in adsorbent separations, PSA, TSA or similar
- Experience in pilot scale chemical processing
- Experience in start-up environments
- Experience synthesizing, manufacturing, and/or procuring catalysts
- Experience in ammonia synthesis, cracking, or separations
- Experience with reactor, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer modeling
- Experience with catalytic kinetic modeling
The position is full-time and in-person in San Francisco, CA. Compensation will be commensurate with experience. Benefits including healthcare and 401k will be provided.
Who we are:
We are a small and passionate team of scientists and engineers. We value teamwork, accountability, open communication, and rapid iteration. We emphasize career growth, mutual feedback, and a fun and exciting working environment. Check out ammobia.co/careers for our full values statement and ammobia.co/team to learn more about us.
The position is full-time and in-person in San Francisco, CA. Compensation and job title will be commensurate with experience.
Benefits include:
- Healthcare, dental, vision, life insurance
- 401k
- Gym benefit
- Team bonding activities, so far including sailing in the Bay, waterfront happy hour, and bowling
- High quality espresso drinks and latte art training
- Generous time off, including closure between Christmas and New Years
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