Solugen

Houston, TX 77035

Position

Scientist/Engineer I

About Solugen:

Solugen is a groundbreaking technology company on a bold mission to decarbonize the physical world. At the heart of our innovation is the world’s first sustainable molecule factory—the Bioforge. This unique manufacturing platform uses a chemienzymatic process to convert plant-derived substances into essential materials that have historically been made from fossil fuels—all with minimal emissions and no hazardous waste. A highly scalable and localized alternative to conventional approaches, the Bioforge enables us to produce a range of high-performance, cost-competitive, and sustainable solutions to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

Ready to shape the future? Join us.

Are you passionate about sustainable solutions and combating climate change? We're always on the lookout for dynamic individuals who blend passion with adaptability. You thrive in an environment where curiosity propels you, questions are celebrated, and insights power your work. As a self-starter, you’ll embrace the pace and uncertainty of startup culture– that’s where the best ideas flourish. At our core, we prioritize safety above all, value respect for others, and consider creative problem-solving a superpower.

Mission

Solugen’s mission is to decarbonize chemicals manufacturing. As a first step, in 2021 Solugen built a 10,000 tpy first commercial plant with the potential to offset up to 37,000 tpy of carbon dioxide equivalents. This role will directly support Solugen’s mission by continuously improving Solugen’s core catalytic platform. As the activity, selectivity, stability, and manufacturing cost of Solugen’s core catalytic platform continuously improves, the quality of Solugen’s products and our cost to manufacture improve.

Key Outcomes

• Perform fundamental materials characterization studies by enhanced phys.-chem. analysis (TGA, TPD/R/O, XPS, XAS, SEM, IR) supported by external cooperation partners
• Assist in optimizing the scaled-up manufacturing of the current catalytic platform to qualify the generation 2.0 and next generation catalyst
• Explore new supports, binders, modifiers, and active phases to qualify the next generations of catalysts on benchtop and pilot reactors, and at commercial scale
• Set up and maintain new analytical equipment
• Design and construct new benchtop test reactors, and implement improvements on existing reactors.
• Contribute to different explorative R&D projects
• Use fact- and data- based reasoning to identify root causes of technical or quality problems and solve them
• Highly collaborative and interdisciplinary team communications (i.e, interaction with pilot plant, engineering, and plant operations)

Key Competencies

Job Specific

• Excited to learn new things
• Extreme willingness, self-motivation and drive for project progress and advancement
• Familiarity with techniques including HPLC, GC, BET, CO chemisorption, PXRD, XAS, TEM, SEM, EDX, ICP, TGA, XPS, IR, DRIFTS
• Familiarity with the systematic Design of Experiments
• Analytical approach to problem solving, with a focus on managing a team environment with attention to results and a sense of urgency
• Acts with a high degree of integrity
• High attention to detail and organization
• Good communication, negotiation, leadership, and project management skills with the desire to further develop these skills as the company grows
• Commitment to safe workplace goals and practices that ensure operational integrity, including compliance with all regulatory policies and procedures
• Comfortable following safety protocols and wearing personal protective equipment—including hard hats, gloves, earplugs, and respirators--in work zones
• Good familiarity with Office products as well as a general level of comfort with online communication and work management platforms such as Dropbox, Google Doc, and Slack

Company Specific

• Ask a lot of questions, be curious, and have insights into your work
• Be nimble, embrace the speed and ambiguity of startup culture.
• A passion for green chemistry and fighting climate change.
• Ability to self-manage and set your own priorities and schedule.
• Be comfortable working in multiple roles.
• Emphasize safety above all else.
• Respect for others.
• Creative problem solving.
• Willingness to learn and research new engineering/science concepts.

Qualifications

• BS in Chemical Engineering preferred
• 0-2 years of experience

Solugen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other legally protected status.