Chemical R&D Engineer

Stanford Climate Ventures; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive equity grants

Healthcare benefits (premium paid)

401k

Fitness stipend

Regular team social events

Paid time off

Job summary

Ammobia is seeking an R&D Engineer to advance materials and reaction platforms from lab to pilot scale. You will design, source, and synthesize catalysts and sorbents, develop reactor systems, and scale innovations to TRL 6 pilot systems.

Join a small, fast-moving team building the next generation of ammonia processing tech. You will work across lab, bench, and pilot stages, perform data-rich testing, and help establish scalable, safe processes for industrial deployment.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of thermodynamics, kinetics, and heat/mass transport.
• Expertise in heterogeneous catalysis, gas sorption, and reactor engineering.
• Experience transferring R&D to pilot scales and designing test campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and manage tests on advanced reactor systems and materials characterization.
• Translate lab learnings to pilot demonstration, developing procedures and campaigns.
• Design and optimize catalysts, sorbents, and composite materials.
• Develop models of gas-solid reactions and link ex-situ measurements to in-reactor performance.
• Collaborate with a small team of scientists, engineers, and technicians.
• Advance IP across materials, process, and reactor development.
• Maintain rigorous safety and lab culture.

Skills

Thermodynamics & kinetics

Heterogeneous catalysis

Reaction engineering

Data analysis (Python/MATLAB)

Custom reactor design

Leadership / team management

Education

MS or PhD in Chemical Engineering or similar

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Lab automation

Control systems

Job description

About Ammobia

Ammobia is pioneering the first fundamental breakthrough in ammonia production since 1909. Our modular Haber-Bosch 2.0 technology operates at low pressures and high single-pass conversions, delivering 2x lower capital costs; making ammonia affordable from any hydrogen source, across scale for any use case.

Backed by strategic investors including Shell Ventures, Air Liquide, Chevron, MOL, and by the US Department of Energy, we are building the essential infrastructure for fuel, fertilizer and the future of energy.

About the role

Ammobia is hiring an R&D Engineer to advance our materials and reaction platforms across lab, bench, and pilot scales. You will design, source, and synthesize new catalysts and sorbents; design and test reactor systems; and scale your innovations through to TRL 6 pilot systems.

You will be at the heart of Ammobia’s R&D program, developing our next generation of reaction processes and proving them at commercially relevant scales and timeframes. You are comfortable wearing many hats, moving fast, and getting your hands dirty building and running systems.

What you will do

• Conduct and manage tests on advanced reactor systems and materials characterization systems, including specifying/building custom reactor equipment
• Transfer lab and bench scale R&D learnings and achievements to pilot demonstration, including developing operating procedures, designing test campaigns, leading lab- and pilot-scale system turnarounds, and analyzing data
• Design and optimize active catalysts, gas sorbents, and formed composite materials, including via both internal development and external research programs
• Develop analytical and computational models of gas-solid reaction processes, set target specifications, link ex-situ measurements to in-reactor performance, transfer reaction engineering knowledge to plant process engineering team
• Work with a small team of scientists, engineers, and technicians
• Develop intellectual property across materials, process, and reactor development
• Perform all work in a safe manner and help promote lab safety culture

Requirements

• Deep quantitative understanding of thermodynamics, kinetics, and heat/mass transport
• Deep expertise in heterogeneous catalysis, gas sorption, and/or reaction engineering
• Demonstrated expertise transferring R&D designs and learnings to pilot scales
• Demonstrated expertise developing and owning test plans and data outputs reactor and chemical process systems
• Hands on experience specifying, designing, and building custom research and pilot scale chemical equipment, including working knowledge of automation and control systems
• Experience working with technicians and operators to execute test plans
• Demonstrated expertise in data analysis of time series processes in Python and/or MATLAB; proficiency with agentic coding for scientific computing
• Expertise in chemical reactor modeling including working knowledge of reactor design equations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated experience managing small teams
• Prior startup experience and excitement about working at an early-stage start-up
• 3+ years' experience in relevant industrial setting. Applicants without industrial experience will not be considered.

Nice-to-haves

• MS or PhD in Chemical Engineering or similar
• Experience managing technicians, interns, or junior engineers
• Operational experience in pilot chemical plants
• Proficiency in techno-economic modeling
• Expertise in catalyst manufacturing and scale-up
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing automated control and data systems

Who we are

We are a small and passionate team of scientists and engineers. We value teamwork, accountability, open communication, and rapid iteration. We emphasize career growth, mutual feedback, and a fun and exciting working environment. Check out ammobia.co/careers for our full values statement and ammobia.co/team to learn more about us.

100000 - 200000 USD a year

Benefits include:

• Competitive equity grants
• 100% of premiums paid for healthcare, dental, vision, life insurance
• 401k, fitness stipend
• Regular team social events
• Paid time off, including closure between Christmas and New Years