About Travertine Travertine is a Climate Tech start-up based in Boulder, CO that is rapidly scaling an electrochemical technology for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and sustainable critical element extraction. Our process takes carbon dioxide from the air and sources of waste sulfate to produce carbonate minerals, sulfuric acid, and hydrogen. The sulfuric acid is used in extraction of critical elements like lithium and nickel for EV batteries and phosphorus for fertilizer. The Travertine Process was developed by Prof. Laura Lammers at her UC Berkeley lab. Travertine was founded in 2022 to scale this process to gigatons of CDR and massively reduce industrial waste. In 2022, we raised a seed round from the Grantham Foundation and Clean Energy Ventures, we were one of the first companies to receive pre-purchases of CDR from the new Stripe-led $1B Frontier fund, and we received a $2M grant from the DOE's ARPA-E program. We were named C&EN 10 startups to watch in 2022, a Bloomberg NEF Pioneer in 2023, and are part of the RMI Third Derivative 1st Gigaton Captured program. We have recently closed a substantial convertible note round, received a state agency grant to build a Demo Plant, and are in engineering for the Demo Plant to be commissioned in mid-2025. We believe in developing practical approaches to solving the climate crisis. The Role We are seeking a highly experienced mechanical engineer to take the lead on the prototyping and development of novel mechanical features in our Salt-Splitting Electrolyzer and other hardware as needed. This role will lead the development of features critical to electrochemical performance. These features include components for optimizing flow distribution and mass transport, thermal management, durable sealing methods and reduction of ohmic and faradaic losses. Our process is well suited to scale rapidly as it combines three industrialized unit operations in a novel way: salt-splitting electrolysis, hydrometallurgy, and caustic direct air capture of CO2. This is the perfect opportunity for a seasoned, ambitious, and creative mechanical engineer to lead complex development efforts and rapidly take a technology from pilot to full-scale. Critical to this role, will be working closely with our Electrolyzer R&D and Process Engineering teams to identify areas for mechanical and electrochemical design improvement, develop prototypes, and fine-tune validation procedures to translate those results into engineering design. This role will also interface with external consultants, manufacturers and integrators to bring concepts and prototypes toward commercial success.
\n ResponsibilitiesScale Up: This role will be responsible for the mechanical engineering required to scale our electrolyzer from pilot to commercial-scale. Design: Create detailed 3D models and 2D drawings of prototype components and assemblies for rapid testing and characterizationPrototyping: Build prototypes of electrochemical components and assemblies using local machine shops and in-house equipment. Testing and Characterization: Characterize the performance and durability of prototypes using both in-situ and ex-situ methods. These efforts will drive critical design and development decisions down the line.Documentation: Accurately and efficiently document procedures and test results so that they can be easily understood by others and effectively referenced in the future.Project Management: Work with team members and senior leadership to identify critical mechanical development needs. Once the needs are identified, the senior engineer will develop and maintain project charters and timelines to ensure deliverables are met. Collaboration: Work with other teams, including process engineers, electrochemists and scientists to support Travertine's higher level goal of enabling carbon-negative and minimal-waste production of critical elements. QualificationsAdvanced Degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Electrochemical Engineering.Experience taking novel technologies from the pilot to commercial-scale.Exposure to electrochemical reactors, cells and/or stacks. This may include electrolyzers, fuel cells, flow batteries etc.Experience in both a start-up or R&D environment and commercial operations is desired.Experience designing, executing and documenting the results of mechanical and electrochemical characterization experiments. BenefitsStock optionsHealth, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance401k with 100% match up to 3% of salaryFlexible time off policy
\n$100,000 - $150,000 a year
Salary range is highly dependent on skill set and experience. \n