Charm Industrial is working to return the atmosphere to 280 ppm CO₂. We design, build and operate a fleet of mobile fast pyrolyzers that convert ag and forest biomass residues into bio-oil for use in carbon removal and direct-reduced-iron steelmaking.
In 2020 our Chief Scientist and co-founder Shaun Meehan had two breakthroughs (bio-oil intermediate and bio-oil sequestration) that kickstarted the company. Within 10 months we completed our first carbon removal injection and in 2021 we completed more than 5,000 tons of CO₂e removal for customers like Stripe, Shopify and Microsoft.
About Charm
Our mission is to reverse climate change and return the atmosphere to 280 ppm CO₂. We convert waste biomass into carbon-rich bio-oil and inject it into permanent, underground storage as carbon removal, or reform the bio-oil to produce syngas for fossil-free steel.
Last year, our carbon removal pathway took off with support from customers like Stripe, Shopify & Microsoft, and we deployed our first mobile pyrolyzer. In the next 18 months, we'll build and deploy the next pyrolyzer revision, demonstrate our fossil-free syngas pilot, substantially expand our operations in the Midwest and put more than 1,000 tonnes of CO₂e underground.
We're looking to expand our team of creative and hands-on engineers, fabricators, operators, and forward-thinking humans. We value psychological safety and collaboration. We take calculated risks and don't sweep mistakes under the rug; instead, we pin them to the wall and learn from them. We value that everyone’s unique backgrounds and perspectives shape their work. We encourage you to read
our company values.
Come help us reverse climate change. Gigatons or bust!
About the role
Reversing climate change has its share of incredibly difficult problems, and we need the brightest and most creative hardware engineers to help us solve them. Come join Charm’s pyrolysis R&D team, where you will be tasked with solving problems across thermal, fluids and structural design for our pyrolyzers - the machines that produce bio-oil and therefore drive our carbon removal supply!
We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to help us design a critical utility for our pyrolyzers - the biomass processing & handling system! If you are excited about machine design, love reverse engineering, are intrigued by the idiosyncrasies of biomass handling, and can’t get enough of large pieces of industrial equipment, this role is for you.
We’re building better climate chemical plants - turning them into modular, mobile units that look more like farm equipment, and are made more like cars at scale. Your designs will be put to the test early and often, and constantly push the envelope on what is possible. Best of all, your designs will directly impact our ability to scale our pyrolyzers and put more oil, and therefore more carbon underground.
This role is located at our San Francisco, CA Minifactory and is not open for remote work. The salary range is $126k-$147k per year, plus benefits described below.
You would make a great addition to the team if:
· You solve problems with creativity and curiosity
· You take high ownership of your work from end-to-end
· You are eager to learn and teach others
· You readily challenge your assumptions when faced with a difficult problem
· You collaboratively seek out teammates for feedback and advice
· You care deeply about our mission & the transition to a greener, more equitable future
What We Offer
· Flexible hours & paid time off
· Stock option compensation
· Medical and dental insurance
· Traditional and Roth 401k
· Paid parental leave managed through Cocoon
· Healthy snacks and lunches
· A sweet workplace (Wait until you see our SF Minifactory!) with lots of space inside and out
· A chance to pivot into a role in climate!
Visa Sponsorship Policy
Since we are a small startup, certain accommodations for visa sponsorship may not be within our capability. At this time, Charm Industrial is only sponsoring E3 and TN visas.
COVID-19
The nature of our work requires the vast majority of our team to be in-person full time. As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, we've continuously adapted our safety policy to keep our team safe and productive. Our current safety policy requires that anyone coming to the office must be vaccinated and wear a mask indoors. If you're invited to our office for an interview, you will be asked for proof of vaccination.
Our Commitment
Charm Industrial is an equal opportunity employer with a firm commitment to growing our team in an inclusive way, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, medical condition, age, or veteran status. The consequences of climate change inherently affect some more than others, and we need a diverse team to help us save our little planet most effectively & justly. We are excited about all of those who choose to apply, and for those who end up joining us, to see how you better us as a team and company. We are more than the sum of our parts.
Responsibilities
Design, build, and test the next iteration of our solids processing operation while balancing power consumption requirements, particle sizes, and cycle times in accordance with pyrolyzer system goals. Design and implement reliable solids handling, metering, and dust collection mechanisms that account for the complexity of handling different types and sizes of biomass, each with different properties and flow characteristics.Work collaboratively with a wide network of people and resources - this could (and likely will!) include managing vendor relationships and timelines, working with external analysis consultants, and working closely with the rest of the pyrolysis team to align development timelines and meet program goals together.In this role, you will bring
A depth of experience in mechanical designA solid understanding of belt conveyors, augers and other conveyance methodsExperience designing machinery or processes for use in harsh environmentsExperience working in collaboration with vendors to develop bespoke solutions These skills are a bonus, but not essential:
You have a depth of experience in solids handlingYou’ve designed farm equipment such as harvesters, tractors or tub grindersYou have experience with mining or oil & gas equipmentYou have an understanding of pyrolysis, gasification, or other thermal conversion processesviolin proficiency, experience with Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concertos preferred