COO/ Co-Founder / Head of Operations

ZCarbon; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

ZCarbon Innovations in the United States is seeking a Chief Operating Officer / Co-Founder to partner with the founder and technical team to turn breakthrough lithium processing technology into a scalable, commercially successful business.

This hands-on startup leadership role spans strategy, fundraising, partnerships, and operations, requiring hands-on execution and the ability to move between finance, business development, and operations as the company scales.

Qualifications

• Experience in building, financing, scaling, or commercializing early-stage hard tech/climate tech ventures.
• Ability to turn technology into investable opportunities and financeable projects.
• Proven track record in business development, pilots, and strategic partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Scale the Carbon-Negative Lithium Technology from pilot to commercial deployment.
• Develop and execute go-to-market strategy for lithium refining and related tech.
• Build partnerships with lithium producers, DLE, mining and battery-material companies.
• Lead or substantially support institutional fundraising and investor relations.

Skills

Startup building

Capital formation

Commercialization

Lithium / minerals

Education

MBA or equivalent

BS/MS/PhD in Chemical Eng / Materials / Mechanical / Mining

Tools

CRM platforms

Fundraising tools

Job description

ZCarbon Innovations | Deep Tech | Carbon-Negative Lithium Extraction | Climate Tech

Company Description

ZCarbon is a climate-tech and advanced materials company developing technologies at the intersection of critical minerals, carbon removal, the energy transition, and the circular economy.

We have developed a portfolio of low-energy, scalable technologies combining direct air capture, mineral processing, and advanced chemical separation to produce valuable industrial materials with significantly reduced, and in some cases potentially negative, carbon footprints. We are targeting the $60B combined market for industrial carbonates.

Our immediate focus is the commercialization and scale-up of our Carbon-Negative Lithium Technology.

The technology is designed to recover and refine lithium from dilute brines and other lithium-bearing streams while integrating carbon capture and carbonate chemistry. Conventional lithium extraction can generate approximately 8-18 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per tonne of lithium carbonate. Our target is approximately minus 5 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of lithium carbonate, while reducing production costs by about 40% and energy requirements by 40-50%.

ZCarbon is moving from technology development toward pilot-scale validation, strategic partnerships, customer qualification, and commercial deployment. We have a growing intellectual-property portfolio covering carbon capture, mineral processing, lithium recovery, and carbon-negative materials.

We are looking for a senior entrepreneurial leader to help build the company through this next stage.

Role Description

We are seeking a Chief Operating Officer / Co-Founder to work closely with the Founder and technical team to transform breakthrough technology into a scalable business.

This is not a traditional corporate COO role. It is a hands-on startup leadership position spanning strategy, fundraising, partnerships, commercialization, operations, and company building.

Key priorities include:

• Scale ZCarbon's Carbon-Negative Lithium Technology from pilot validation toward commercial deployment.
• Develop and execute the go-to-market strategy for lithium refining, brine processing, and related technologies.
• Build partnerships with lithium producers, DLE companies, geothermal and oil & gas operators, mining companies, battery-material companies, and strategic industrial partners.
• Structure pilot projects, JDAs, commercial partnerships, licensing agreements, and potential project companies.
• Lead or substantially support institutional fundraising.
• Build relationships with VCs, family offices, strategic investors, corporate partners, and project-finance providers.
• Translate technical capabilities into compelling commercial propositions for customers, investors, and partners.
• Help build the commercial and operating organization as the company scales.

This is a generalist role for someone comfortable moving between strategy, investor discussions, customer development, partnerships, and pilot execution.

Who We Are Looking For

There is no single conventional profile. The strongest candidate will likely bring meaningful experience in at least two or three of the following areas:

Startup Building

You have helped build, finance, scale, or commercialize an early-stage company in hard tech, climate tech, energy, chemicals, mining, advanced materials, or industrial technology.

Capital Formation

You have raised institutional capital or built strong relationships with VCs, family offices, strategic investors, and project-finance providers. You know how to turn a technology story into an investable company and ultimately into financeable projects.

Commercialization & Product-Market Fit

You know how to find the first customers for a new technology, structure pilots, develop partnerships, and convert technical differentiation into revenue.

Lithium / Critical Minerals / Battery Materials

Experience in lithium extraction, DLE, brines, mining, hydrometallurgy, refining, or battery materials would be particularly valuable.

You have worked with large industrial companies and understand long sales cycles, pilot programs, qualification processes, and strategic partnerships.

You are comfortable operating without a large organization or predefined playbook and can move between strategy, finance, business development, operations, hiring, and execution.

The Candidate

We are especially interested in people who are:

• Builders rather than administrators.
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity.
• Scientifically and commercially curious.
• Able to understand complex technology without needing to be the technical inventor.
• Strong communicators with investors, engineers, customers, and corporate executives.
• Persistent, resourceful, and comfortable opening doors.
• Excited about building a globally significant climate-tech company.

A genuine interest in industrial decarbonization, critical minerals, and climate technology is essential.

Education & Experience

There is no rigid educational requirement. Relevant backgrounds could include:

• MBA or equivalent business experience.
• BS/MS/PhD in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Mining/Metallurgical Engineering, Chemistry, or related fields.
• At least 8 years of experience post undergraduate degree.
• Significant operating or entrepreneurial experience.

Experience in lithium extraction, DLE, battery materials, mining, chemicals, chemical engineering, carbon capture, DAC, industrial decarbonization, or climate tech is highly desirable but not mandatory.

Why ZCarbon

The energy transition will require enormous quantities of lithium and other critical materials. At the same time, producing those materials must become dramatically less carbon intensive. ZCarbon is working at the intersection of those two challenges.

We are looking for someone who does not simply want to join a company, but wants to help build one.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to work alongside the founding team, shape company strategy, participate meaningfully in value creation, and help take a potentially transformative technology from pilot scale to global deployment.

Only candidates based in United States of America (United States) are eligible for application.