Chemical Engineer I

Job Description Company Overview :

Plastics have become indispensable for nearly every major industry, but conventional plastics impose an unsustainable burden on the environment. Plastic production currently accounts for 8% of global oil and gas use and nearly 5% of GHG emissions. More than 250 million tons of plastic waste accumulates annually, the vast majority of which will persist for centuries. ReSource's proprietary technology will produce the first bioplastic that is made from truly sustainable feedstocks and outperforms incumbent materials without the environmental burden or health risks. We are commercializing an industrially scalable process for producing FDCA, which is a naturally occurring chemical that serves as a replacement for the petrochemical monomer PTA used to make polyesters such as PET. Polyester represents a >$100B industry, with applications spanning packaging, bottles, and fibers. Polyesters made using FDCA have superior gas barrier, thermal, and mechanical properties compared to the petrochemical incumbents, which translates into better performance with less material, including increased shelf life for perishable goods. They are also 100% recyclable and degrade much faster than conventional polyester if released into the environment. Beyond polyesters, FDCA is a platform molecule that can be used to make a wide range of other polymer and specialty chemicals. Past efforts to commercialize such products have been hampered by the high complexity and cost of the manufacturing pathways chosen to make FDCA, all of which use edible sugars as raw materials. In contrast, ReSource produces FDCA from CO2 and inedible biomass and removes two thirds of the conventional process steps, resulting in dramatically reduced production cost that enable rapid scale-up and high-volume applications. Bioplastics made using ReSource FDCA have the potential to eliminate >250 Mton yr-1 GHG emissions. The company is in Oakland, CA and was founded on technology developed at Stanford University. Backed by leading investors including Khosla Ventures, Fathom Fund, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, we are currently preparing to commence pilot and demo-scale production. To date, ReSource has raised >$25M, including nearly $9M in R D grants from the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled engineer to join our team of scientists and engineers. The ideal candidate is an innovative thinker with a passion for problem-solving and an ability to drive the development of robust chemical processes. The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Build, operate, maintain, troubleshoot reactors, as well as optimize process to inform decisions for commercial designs
• Develop process flow diagrams (PFDs) and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) for reactor modification
• Support component specification and procurement for pumps, valves, instrumentation, mixing tanks, and heat exchangers.
• Support lab instrumentation commissioning and data collection activities for process validation.
• Support to deliver products to partners and customers on schedule.
• Create clear and concise technical documents and reports.
• Contribute to process hazard assessments (PHAs) and mitigation.

Qualifications and Skills:

The ideal candidate will have PhD or Master with >1 year, or BS with >2 year of postgraduate experience in Chemical Engineering, Material/Civil/Environmental Engineering, or a related field, including:

• Experience in designing, assembling, and operating reactors.
• Demonstrated ability to parse and solve complex technical problems using knowledge of thermodynamics, kinetics, and mass and heat transfers, as well as the ability to troubleshoot analytical equipment.
• Experience with AutoCAD or similar software for drafting preferred.
• Experience in liquid/gas chromatography and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) preferred
• Experience in process safety management, process hazards analysis, and hazards mitigation.
• Demonstrated ability to self-learn new knowledge fast and keep an open mind to different ideas and mindsets.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines under pressure
• Strong documentation, analytical, and project management-skills