Process Engineer

Phase Biolabs; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fermentation experience

Distillation

PLCs & control systems

Hydrogen gas handling

Job summary

Phase Biolabs is seeking a hands-on Process Engineer to scale and operate their continuous gas fermentation. You will design, build, test, and improve systems in a multidisciplinary team, contributing across the pilot plant and related infrastructure.

The ideal candidate enjoys working in the plant room as much as at a desk, is curious, data-driven, and takes ownership without prompting. A background in chemical/process engineering and practical equipment experience are essential.

Qualifications

• A degree in chemical or process engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 3+ years working on real process equipment at lab, pilot or plant scale.
• Confident with P&IDs, mass and energy balances, and instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Help design, build and operate continuous fermentation systems.
• Run continuous campaigns and turn the data into process improvements.
• Design and operate auxiliary systems.
• Integrate ethanol recovery by distillation with the fermentation.
• Help refine the mass and energy balances that underpin our pilot plant design.
• Work closely with our fermentation team on nutrient and gas delivery strategy.
• Proactively troubleshoot, maintain, and get stuck into whatever else the process needs.

Education

A degree in chemical or process engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience

Tools

PLCs

Control systems

Data acquisition

Job description

ABOUT US

Phase Biolabs converts waste CO₂ and renewable hydrogen into ethanol by gas fermentation, for use as an e-fuel in road fuel, as a low-carbon chemical feedstock and a sustainable aviation fuel precursor. We're a small team scaling a new biomanufacturing process.

YOUR ROLE

As a process engineer working within a multidisciplinary team, you will contribute to the scaling and operation of our continuous gas fermentation process. This position is for someone who likes being a hands-on engineer, designing new systems, building and testing them and learning how they best operate.

If this role excites you but your experience doesn't tick every box below, apply anyway — we're looking for the right person, not a perfect CV.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Help design, build and operate continuous fermentation systems


• Run continuous campaigns and turn the data into process improvements


• Design and operate auxiliary systems


• Integrate ethanol recovery by distillation with the fermentation


• Help refine the mass and energy balances that underpin our pilot plant design


• Work closely with our fermentation team on nutrient and gas delivery strategy


• Proactively troubleshoot, maintain, and get stuck into whatever else the process needs

YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO

• Likes being in the plant room as much as at the desk


• Is curious and data driven


• Takes ownership without waiting to be asked


• Isn't afraid to make mistakes


• Communicates clearly with people outside your discipline

WHAT A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE LOOKS LIKE

• A degree in chemical or process engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience


• 3+ years working on real process equipment, at lab, pilot or plant scale


• Confident with P&IDs, mass and energy balances, and instrumentation


• Has commissioned or troubleshot something and seen it through

NICE TO HAVE

• Fermentation or gas-liquid mass transfer experience


• Distillation or separations


• PLCs, control systems or data acquisition


• Working with flammable gases (H₂)