Senior R&D Scientist - Carbon Capture

CK Group are recruiting a Senior R&D Scientist - Carbon Capture, to join a dynamic start-up focused on developing systems that enhance water vapor adsorption and desorption. The company is advancing technologies in atmospheric water harvesting and CO2 capture.

Location: Irvine, California

Contract type: Full-time, permanent

Salary: $120,000 - $140,000 per year (base)

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Head of Product Engineering to scale up commercial-grade MOF/COF-based CO2 capture systems.
• Model kinetics, thermal transfer, and CO2 adsorption/desorption mechanisms for MOF/COF materials.
• Develop models that optimize CO2 adsorption/desorption, energy efficiency, air flow, and vacuum/pressure swing operations.
• Design and optimize individual carbon capture module components.
• Lead the scale-up from prototype to commercial systems.
• Identify and optimize key parameters such as energy efficiency, production capacity, reliability, and cost.
• Work closely with R&D teams to refine the functional specifications of MOF/COFs.
• Manage the sourcing of materials and components, overseeing the entire process from procurement to final assembly.
• Establish and maintain QC/QA processes for production.
• Keep detailed records in an electronic notebook and participate in technical meetings.
• Contribute to the company’s intellectual property through invention disclosures.

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of 3 years post-PhD industrial experience.
• Experience with CO2 adsorption systems (MOF/COF), or if not, relevant experience in gas adsorption systems like pressure swing adsorption (PSA) or temperature swing adsorption (TSA).
• Strong background in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.
• Proven track record of working on system-level prototypes and scaling up technologies.
• Proficiency with simulation tools for thermal design and energy performance analysis.
• Familiarity with production safety protocols.
• Excellent teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to scale up prototypes or run successful experiments.

Apply:

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the US. Please reference job number 104630 in all correspondence.