Senior Process Engineer (FOAK Scale-up & Development)

At Level Nine, we leverage bio-nanotechnology and quantum chemistry to develop next-generation catalysts that unlock a profitable and resilient chemical industry. Inspired by nature, our nanozymes bridge the gap between traditional catalysts and enzymes to unlock new possibilities in green chemicals production. Our mission is to unlock new low-cost, scalable production routes that can create fossil-free chemical building blocks.

We are an interdisciplinary group of colleagues from all over the world operating out of Berlin, one of Europe’s most-established and prominent deep-tech hubs. We are looking for the newest member of our ambitious, high-energy team to build on the strong momentum we have created.

This is a mission-critical role for a creative engineer who wants to build a game-changing technology, unleashing the potential to transform one of the most impactful and carbon-heavy industries in the world. You will be the central owner of our production, taking our first process from pilot-scale to kilotonne capacity. We need someone who can dive into computational models, and get their hands dirty building out concepts at our in-house production facilities. Your work will then be realised at an industrial scale as Level Nine begins decarbonising the chemicals industry en masse with our nanozyme technology. In short, you’ll be the turbo charge of our scale-up; it’s a significant undertaking, but an awesome opportunity to take full ownership of a project with an incredible potential for change.

Though we have a number of hard criteria below, our hiring ethos is focussed on attitude over aptitude. We’re not just interested in what you’ve done, but also why you think it was worth doing. This is far from a desk-only job, and we seek an out-of-the-box thinker who brings an entrepreneurial spirit and a can-do attitude. If you share in our excitement of building a novel, FOAK (first-of-a-kind) process from the ground up, then this opportunity is a clear launchpad to further their career with Level Nine.

Tasks

• Be the architect of a breakthrough industrial transformation that unlocks our technology’s full potential, holding key responsibilities for achieving our mission of a green transformation
• Own the end-to-end process development and scale-up of our core reaction and downstream separation technology, propelling our process from pilot to production
• Model and simulate process optimisations in Aspen (or similar) to drive down OPEX, improve energy efficiency, and validate the techno-economics as we scale
• Lead activities at our in-house pilot facilities, getting hands-on with equipment to test, troubleshoot, and validate our hypotheses and drive breakthroughs
• Generate and codify a deep process understanding of our technology to guide our R&D and scale-up strategies
• Collaborate directly with internal and external partners to translate our technical knowledge into a clear, scalable engineering design package

Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years in chemical process development, R&D, and/or scale-up
• Able to confidently test and validate engineering hypotheses using process simulation software and in-house experimentation, leading to the development of robust computational models that can guide our FEED.
• Left-brain/right-brain engineering magic, able to be the architect of process concepts and simultaneously the hands-on builder-tester-troubleshooter
• Feels comfortable working in ambiguity, using pragmaticism and a collaborative approach to overcome challenges together and thrive in our highly-ambitious startup environment
• Commercially savvy, with an ability to contextualise and translate engineering results into actionable feedback to the business that helps us and our clients achieve our goals.
• Demonstrable experience in catalysis, reaction engineering, separation processes (or indeed successfully scaling these processes) is a strong foundation for this role
• Big picture frame of mind, understanding how quality, operational excellence and regulatory systems work at industrially relevant scales and embedding this into your design
• Fluent communication in English essential; B1+ proficiency in German desirable

At Level Nine, we're looking for people with ambition, resilience and integrity. You're encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. Your skills and passion are what will stand out and set you apart. We strongly welcome diverse perspectives and people who have the courage and conviction to make real change.

How to apply

To apply, please submit your CV alongside a cover letter containing some details about yourself and why you're interested in working at Level Nine. Please don't send us a standard cover letter - instead, please send a brief, one-two paragraph answer to the following questions:

• What's the biggest risk you've ever taken, and what did you learn from it?
• What are you passionate about outside of work that makes you uniquely you?
• If you could learn any new skill, what would it be and why?