Asst. Professor - Chemical Engineering jobs in Austin, TX

Energy Exploration Technologies has a mission to become a worldwide leader in the global transition to sustainable energy. Founded in 2018, the company is fundamentally changing the way humanity is powering our world and storing clean energy with breakthrough lithium-ion technology and energy storage solutions.

Job Description

Director of Adsorption Processes will be responsible for optimizing and developing EnergyX’s adsorption process. The role involves understanding the process design synergies between adsorption and solvent extraction and any other downstream system that provides a recycle to adsorption. Knowledge in lithium sorption and desorption ideal. Must be able to develop a project plan that matches with the corporate and business objectives of EnergyX. This is not a R&D role.

The candidate must have direct experience with a process intensification commercial success. Candidates will be required to develop innovative process designs for direct lithium extraction. Expert understanding of the chemical and physical systems for adsorption are mandatory. The successful candidate will supervise all aspects of the adsorption process and will be required to provide leadership and mentorship to the team. This position is only for self-motivated, thorough, diligent, and very organized technologists with excellent project management skills and knows how to be a great team member.

Responsibilities

You will work directly with the CTO. Your workday will involve working across multidisciplinary and project execution teams. You will be responsible for the development of a project execution plan with the primary objective of designing an adsorption process that economically extracts lithium.

• Engineering and laboratory responsibilities
  • Oversee and delegate tasks associated with project plan objectives
  • Organize and monitor daily activity of engineering design and laboratory work
  • Lab Administration
    • Ensure all test work is carried out safely and correctly
    • Effectively provide leadership and mentorship with all technicians and engineers: direct and indirect reports

• Process Design

• • • Execute in optimizing the adsorption process design
    • Leverage process intensification skills to innovate
    • Report findings and help direct the next steps
    • Collaborate with other managers, directors, and upper management as needed to accelerate achieving milestones
• Projects
  • Provide guidance for the engineering and lab teams with test work needed to develop and test new adsorption process technologies
  • Guide technicians and engineers in work priority
  • Develop a rapid testing process that will assist in qualifying candidate customers for commercialization opportunities

• External contact
  • Excels at communicating with external stakeholders and customers
  • Strong ability at technical communications for laypersons

Basic Qualifications

• Master or PhD degree in Chemical Engineering.
• Over 10 years of experience with an emphasis on packed column design and novel processes for material handling of ion exchange resins and/or adsorbent materials
• Over 7 years with Detailed Engineering Design for Commercial Chemical Plants
• Experience with synthesis and commercial development of adsorbents especially lithium sorbents is a plus
• Proven leader in process engineering design with advanced knowledge of adsorption and ion exchange mechanisms
• Expert in the commercial development of adsorption processes
• Excellent Relationship skills –
  • Requires integrated work with the project development team
  • Must work closely with the entire lab, engineering, and project execution teams
  • Must be able to communicate with internal and external customers
• Self-directed and self-motivated
• Proficient computer skills – specifically Microsoft Office, Excel and Lotus Notes databases
• Excellent time-management, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in developing methods for product testing and experimental design and equipment/process design
• Presentation skills must be exemplary
• Proven experience in managing a commercial project team is a must

EnergyX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with EnergyX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.