Senior Mechanical Engineer

Zero Carbon Systems; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Zero Carbon Systems is seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, build, validation, and upgrades of Direct Air Capture process equipment and the Pilot Plant at our Brighton location. You will run CFD/FEA simulations, manage cross‑functional teams, oversee fabrication, test rigs, and document results to support design decisions and safety reviews.

The role requires 7–10 years of hands‑on engineering experience and a Bachelor’s in mechanical, chemical, or industrial

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, chemical, or industrial engineering.
• 7–10 years hands-on experience in mechanical systems design and upgrading custom equipment.
• Experience with 3D CAD software (Inventor/AutoCAD preferred).
• Experience with CFD (SimScale) and Finite Element Analysis.
• Strong communication and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering teams from ideation through commissioning of new DAC test rigs.
• Run CFD and FEM simulations to analyze subsystems and components.
• Design, prototype, test, and document equipment revisions.
• Support installation and commissioning of equipment and systems.
• Oversee budgets, schedules, and procurement for new equipment.
• Write SOPs and other technical documentation for operators.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders and review designs.
• Review data to assess performance, safety, and reliability.
• Travel up to 15% to support onsite activities.

Skills

Mechanical design

CFD/FEA analysis

Project leadership

3D CAD (Inventor/AutoCAD)

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, chemical, or industrial engineering

Tools

Autodesk Inventor/AutoCAD

SimScale

P&ID/PFD tools

Job description

About Zero Carbon Systems

Zero Carbon Systems (ZCS) is a clean energy and direct air capture company on a mission to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon future. We are developing and deploying breakthrough technologies designed to reduce atmospheric CO2 at scale, addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Backed by mission aligned investors and led by a team of passionate innovators, ZCS sits at the intersection of cutting edge science and real world impact. We are building a diverse, collaborative, and driven team of individuals who share our commitment to excellence, creativity, and the belief that the work we do today will shape the world of tomorrow.

If you are energized by meaningful work and want to be part of a company where your contributions directly advance the clean energy transition, we would love to hear from you.

Position Summary

This position will be responsible for supporting the design, build, validation, and upgrades of process equipment for Direct Air Capture (DAC) machinery and the Pilot Plant at ZCS’s Brighton Location. Additional responsibilities may include engineering and design support for the ZCS demonstration plant.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering teams from initial ideation through commissioning of new test rigs and sub-systems in Direct Air Capture facilities
• Run and analyze CFD and FEA simulations of plant subsystems and components
• Design, develop, and analyze digital and physical prototypes and revisions of equipment
• Support installation of third-party or custom-built equipment and system components (Factory / Site Acceptance Testing and Installation / Operational Qualification)
• Lead projects that work through cost estimates, budgets, and schedules for the design, fabrication, and procurement of new equipment
• Develop experiments, design and procure test rigs, execute testing programs, and document results to validate designs
• Write technical documentation (e.g. Standard Operating Procedures) for machine operators
• Support relentless, continuous improvement by facilitating post-mortem analyses of projects and documenting areas for improvement
• Conduct and participate in design reviews and proactively raise concerns and develop solutions to problems
• Evaluate data from test rigs, pilot, and production equipment to determine overall performance, reliability, and safety
• Participate in safety reviews for equipment and systems during the conceptual, design, startup, and operating phases
• Collaborate effectively with internal engineers, scientists and operators, and vendors and contractors
• Oversee and review the work of Junior Engineers and Designers

Requirements Include

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, chemical, or industrial engineering
• 7-10 years of direct hands‑on experience in mechanical systems design, process equipment design, or a similar role, including at least 7 years of progressive responsibility designing, modifying, and upgrading custom industrial equipment
• Experience using 3D CAD software; Autodesk Inventor/AutoCAD preferred
• Experience designing steam, chemical process, or HVAC equipment
• Experience with engineering design and manufacturing tools (Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams, Process Flow Diagrams, Bill of Materials Generation, Engineering Change Orders, etc.)
• Experience with CFD software (SimScale preferred) and analysis, and ability to run Finite Element Analysis simulations and analyze test data
• Effective verbal and written communication skills necessary to deliver detailed technical presentations in support of engineering reviews
• Experience managing complex, multidisciplinary engineering projects
• Ability to safely operate hand and power tools and work a full shift in a fabrication environment
• Ability to travel less than 15% of the time to support onsite activities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with or for Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies
• Experience developing first‑of‑a‑kind systems, including requirements definition, safety reviews, and development of design deliverables; experience in the carbon capture space
• Experience building first‑of‑a‑kind process equipment
• Startup experience and ability to work on cross‑functional teams
• Professional engineering license in the state of Colorado
• Experience working with and on remote teams

Zero Carbon Systems is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Your Right to Work

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.