Staff Chemical Engineer

Redwood Materials Inc.; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Redwood Materials is seeking a Staff Chemical Engineer to lead the design and commissioning of first-of-a-kind recycling plants and brownfield retrofit projects.

You will own new plant design from concept through detailed engineering and hands-on commissioning, and lead brownfield initiatives—from scoping to deployment—while collaborating with operations, controls, and software teams to scale battery recycling tech.

Qualifications

• BS in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years of chemical or process engineering experience with proven designs.
• Direct experience designing flowsheets and equipment for large capital projects.
• Hands-on process modeling and equipment sizing experience.
• Proven ability to partner with operations and maintenance teams to implement safe plant improvements.
• Proficiency with data analysis and metallurgical accounting tools.
• Strong written and verbal communication and ability to lead in a matrix environment.

Responsibilities

• Design first-of-a-kind recycling plants for battery waste materials, leading projects from concept through commissioning.
• Own and drive brownfield plant retrofits and process improvement projects from initial scoping through full implementation.
• Perform cost analyses, design trade studies, and process modeling to guide equipment sizing, predict plant performance, and maximize profitability.
• Create PFDs, P&IDs, and detailed equipment specification sheets.
• Plan and execute critical testwork, lab-scale trials, and plant trials to validate process designs.
• Partner with mechanical, controls, operations, and maintenance teams to deliver complete plant designs and execute safe commissioning.

Skills

Chemical eng background

Process engineering

Project leadership

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by JB Straubel, co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, on a simple but radical idea: the critical minerals powering the energy transition already exist. They just need to come back. Today Redwood is the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America — recovering, refining, and redeploying critical minerals from end-of-life batteries back into the supply chain. On the energy side, Redwood has deployed the largest second-life battery project in the world, delivering power to AI data centers in months rather than years using proprietary energy architecture engineered entirely in-house. The company is profitable, the market it operates in is projected to grow 20 to 50 times over the next decade, and Redwood is the only company with the supply chain, the technology, and the operational scale to lead it.

About Redwood Materials

Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by JB Straubel, co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, on a simple but radical idea: the critical minerals powering the energy transition already exist. They just need to come back. Today Redwood is the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America — recovering, refining, and redeploying critical minerals from end-of-life batteries back into the supply chain. On the energy side, Redwood has deployed the largest second-life battery project in the world, delivering power to AI data centers in months rather than years using proprietary energy architecture engineered entirely in-house. The company is profitable, the market it operates in is projected to grow 20 to 50 times over the next decade, and Redwood is the only company with the supply chain, the technology, and the operational scale to lead it.

Position Summary

Redwood Materials is seeking a Staff Chemical Engineer to lead the design and commissioning of first-of-a-kind recycling plants and brownfield retrofit projects . In this high-impact role, you will take ownership of new plant design from initial concept through detailed engineering and hands‑on commissioning. You will also lead brownfield initiatives—from scoping and financial justification to lab‑scale trials and full deployment. Collaborating closely with operations, controls, and software teams, your work will directly shape how Redwood scales its next generation of battery recycling technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Design first-of-a-kind recycling plants for battery waste materials, leading projects from concept through commissioning .

• Own and drive brownfield plant retrofits and process improvement projects from initial scoping through full implementation .

• Perform cost analyses, design trade studies, and process modeling to guide equipment sizing, predict plant performance, and maximize profitability .

• Create Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), and detailed equipment specification sheets .

• Plan and execute critical testwork, lab‑scale trials, and plant trials to validate and define process designs .

• Partner with mechanical, controls, operations, and maintenance teams to deliver complete plant designs and execute safe, successful commissioning .

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 8+ years of chemical or process engineering experience with a proven track record of delivering plant, equipment, or product designs.

• Direct experience designing flowsheets and equipment for large capital projects, including scale‑up from pilot to commercial scale.

• Hands‑on expertise in process modeling, equipment sizing, and linking testwork data to full‑scale project implementation.

• Demonstrated experience partnering with operations and maintenance teams to implement safe plant improvement projects.

• Proficiency with statistical analysis and metallurgical accounting tools for data‑driven decision‑making.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead in a matrixed environment and convey complex technical concepts to non‑specialist audiences.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform the essential job functions consistently, safely, and successfully with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards .

• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards .

Working Conditions

• Environment: Office and industrial/manufacturing facility environment (indoors/outdoors) .

• Ability to work in challenging working conditions, which may include exposure to noise, dust, chemicals, and temperature extremes while protected by PPE for extended periods of time .

• Essential physical requirements such as climbing, standing, stooping, lifting, or typing .

• Occasional work weekends, nights, or on‑call availability as a regular part of the job .

• Occasional travel requirements .

The position is full-time. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

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