Process Development Engineer

Stanford Climate Ventures; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ReSource, an Oakland, CA-based start-up developing sustainable FDCA production, seeks an experienced Process Engineer to scale pilot systems to demonstration-scale operations.

The candidate will combine strong process design fundamentals with hands-on operation and troubleshooting of equipment, while maintaining rigorous records and safety standards in a fast-paced startup environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or related field.
• 8+ years of process engineering experience in an industrial setting.
• Hands-on experience designing, building, operating, and troubleshooting pilot-scale equipment systems.
• Proficiency in process flow design principles, details, and practice.
• Familiarity with process controls & instrumentation and integrating basic hardware sensors.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, operate, and troubleshoot pilot-scale equipment systems.
• Work closely with the R&D team to design, execute, and evaluate bench scale and advanced testing.
• Establish and maintain records of process designs, intellectual property ideation, experimental data, vendor partnerships, and procurement tracking.
• Manage technical communications internally and with external partners.
• Actively enforce a culture of safety, ensuring all operations comply with relevant protocols and that safety concerns are immediately communicated and mitigated.

Skills

Chemical engineering

Process design

Pilot-scale equipment

PFDs & P&IDs

Process controls & instrumentation

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Company Overview

Plastics have become indispensable for nearly every major industry, but conventional plastics impose an unsustainable burden on the environment. Plastic production currently accounts for 8% of global oil and gas use and nearly 5% of GHG emissions. More than 250 million tons of plastic waste accumulates annually, the vast majority of which will persist for centuries. ReSource's proprietary technology will produce the first bioplastic that is made from truly sustainable feedstocks and outperforms incumbent materials without the environmental burden or health risks. We are commercializing an industrially scalable process for producing FDCA, which is a naturally occurring chemical that serves as a replacement for the petrochemical monomer PTA used to make polyesters such as PET. Polyester represents a >$100B industry, with applications spanning packaging, bottles, and fibers. Polyesters made using FDCA have superior gas barrier, thermal, and mechanical properties compared to the petrochemical incumbents, which translates into better performance with less material, including increased shelf life for perishable goods. They are also 100% recyclable and degrade much faster than conventional polyester if released into the environment. Beyond polyesters, FDCA is a platform molecule that can be used to make a wide range of other polymer and specialty chemicals. Past efforts to commercialize such products have been hampered by the high complexity and cost of the manufacturing pathways chosen to make FDCA, all of which use edible sugars as raw materials. In contrast, ReSource produces FDCA from CO2 and inedible biomass and removes two thirds of the conventional process steps, resulting in dramatically reduced production cost that enable rapid scale-up and high-volume applications. Bioplastics made using ReSource FDCA have the potential to eliminate >250 Mton yr-1 GHG emissions.

The company is in Oakland, CA and was founded on technology developed at Stanford University. Backed by leading investors including Khosla Ventures, Fathom Fund, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, we are currently preparing to commence pilot and demo-scale production. To date, ReSource has raised >$25M, including nearly $9M in R&D grants from the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation.

Position Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and hands-on Process Engineer to join our growing team as we scale from pilot to demonstration-scale production. The ideal candidate combines strong technical fundamentals in process design with practical, hands-on experience operating and troubleshooting physical equipment, and thrives in the fast-paced, resource-conscious environment of an early-stage technology startup.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Design, build, operate, and troubleshoot pilot-scale equipment systems
• Work closely with the R&D team to design, execute, and evaluate bench scale and advanced testing.
• Establish and maintain records of process designs, intellectual property ideation, experimental data, vendor partnerships, and procurement tracking.
• Manage technical communications internally and with external partners
• Actively enforce a culture of safety, ensuring all operations comply with relevant protocols and that safety concerns are immediately communicated and mitigated.

Qualifications And Skills

• Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or higher, Process Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of process engineering experience gained in an industrial setting.
• Proven hands-on experience designing, building, operating, and troubleshooting physical pilot-scale equipment systems.
• Proficiency in process flow design principles, details, and practice.
• Direct experience authoring and evaluating process design basis, including PFDs and P&IDs.
• Familiarity with process controls & instrumentation and integrating basic hardware sensors.

Core Competencies

• Strong commitment to process safety and product quality.
• Effective project management skills including planning, coordination, supplier follow-up, and milestone tracking.
• Strong communicator, able to build and manage technical relationships with external partners at all levels.
• Proactive leader who identifies gaps and independently drives solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Adaptable and comfortable with the ambiguity and flexibility of an early-stage startup environment.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive attitude.