Activated Carbon Scientist / Engineer

Capybara Energy; Woburn (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Three weeks paid time off

Sick pay

Parental leave

Ten paid holidays

401K match

Job summary

Capybara Energy is seeking a Carbon Scientist to develop activated carbon from waste feedstocks and advance hydrothermal carbonization processes. You will help convert waste materials into carbon for energy-storage applications and lead synthesis, conversion, and scale-up efforts.

The role requires a PhD in a related field with hands-on experience in carbon synthesis, materials characterization, and data analysis. Collaboration with cross-functional teams and rigorous documentation are essential.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field with 2–5 years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Research methods for converting waste materials into activated carbon.
• Lead design, synthesis, conversion, and optimization for carbon-based materials for HTC and activated carbon applications.
• Support scale-up from lab to pilot to commercial scale.
• Collaborate with engineering and product development teams.
• Maintain rigorous documentation and reproducibility of experiments.

Skills

Python

Data analysis

Literature review

Education

Ph.D. in Chemistry/Materials Science/Engineering

Tools

BET

SEM

XRD

TGA

FTIR

Job description

We need a carbon expert with first hand experience in hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) or the production of activated carbon from biomass or waste feedstocks.

Only applicants with proven experience in activated carbon synthesis will be considered.

Your Role

As our Carbon Scientist, you’ll work on converting waste materials into carbon for critical energy-storage applications. This position will play a key role in the synthesis, conversion, and scale-up of carbon materials for our batteries.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research methods for converting waste materials into functional activated carbon.
• Spearhead the design, synthesis, conversion techniques, and optimization strategies for carbon-based materials, aiming to tailor their physicochemical properties for HTC and activated carbon applications.
• Support scale-up processes from lab to pilot to commercial scale.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in engineering and product development.
• Maintain rigorous documentation and ensure reproducibility of experiments.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field with 2-5 years of relevant academic or industry experience in activated carbon synthesis.
• Proven experience with carbon conversion including, pre-treatment strategies, carbonization & activation pathways, pyrolysis, and HTC.
• Skilled in characterization & analysis techniques including but not limited to BET, SEM, XRD, TGA, and FTIR.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with electrochemistry, battery science, and energy storage.
• Programming experience for data analysis and visualization (Python, MATLAB, Origin, JMP, Minitab, etc.)
• Experience in unit operations, sizing equipment, and building pilot lines for carbon synthesis.

What We Offer:

• Three weeks paid time off
• Sick pay
• Parental leave
• Ten paid holidays
• Health insurance
• 401K match

* U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status is required due to federal contract requirements.