Process Engineer

THE ROLE

We are seeking a Process Engineer to join Heirloom’s Plant Design Team. You will be responsible for the design, integration, and optimization of critical Balance of Plant (BoP) systems and material handling circuits that enable our carbon removal technology to operate at scale.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Own the design and integration of BoP utility systems, including instrument air, process water, cooling water, and fire water.

• Lead the engineering of material handling systems, focusing on lime hydration, limestone processing, and solids transport.

• Develop and maintain PFDs, P&IDs, and heat and mass balances for utility and auxiliary systems.

• Oversee supplier diligence and equipment selection for pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, and solids handling hardware.

• Drive technical specifications and RFQs for BoP packages, ensuring alignment with overall plant performance targets.

• Coordinate with R&D to ensure bench/pilot scale data informs the scaling of water treatment and solids processing loops.

• Provide on-site commissioning support and troubleshooting during the startup of utility and material handling subsystems.

• Travel to vendor facilities and project sites (domestic and international) to oversee FATs and installation.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, or Process Engineering preferred).

• 5–7 years of experience in process design or plant engineering within heavy industry.

• Technical depth—ability to audit engineering details

• Hands-on experience with industrial water systems and compressed air loops.

• Vendor management skills; ability to manage technical procurement and equipment delivery schedules.

• Collaborative communication; ability to work across R&D and Project Engineering teams to resolve interface conflicts.

• "Get it done" attitude; a proactive approach to identifying system bottlenecks and fixing them.

• Mobility; comfortable with domestic and international travel for site visits and vendor inspections.

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with process engineering in oil & gas, cement, or heavy industrial processes

• Material Handling expertise: Experience with lime hydration, limestone crushing, or cement manufacturing processes.

• Solids Processing: Familiarity with conveyors, silos, and pneumatic transport systems.

• High-Temperature Systems: Experience with thermal integration and waste heat recovery.

• Software Proficiency: Experience with Aspen HYSYS, PRO/II, or similar process simulation tools as well as AutoCAD Plant 3D.

You don’t have to have every listed requirement and skill to be a great fit. If you are passionate about this opportunity and think you have the skills to succeed, please apply!

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We encourage you to apply if you identify as Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Hispanic or Latino, LGBTQ+ – or with any other underrepresented group – even if you don’t tick all the boxes in the description below.

• Excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by Heirloom. FSA option.

• 16 weeks paid parental leave for all Heirloom employees.

• Generous stock options.

• Unlimited PTO for exempt (salaried) employees & 120 hours for full time non-exempt (hourly) employees.

• 401(k).

• Monthly health and wellness reimbursement.

• Annual education and conference budget.

Our Principles

• Radical Honesty. We strive to foster an inclusive environment premised on transparency and respect. We push for excellence, yet always remain thoughtful when challenging each other.

• Persistent Optimism. We show up to work with optimism and don’t shy away from a challenge. We recognize that the ambitious nature of our mission requires hopefulness, dedication, and persistence.

• Maximize Learning. Compounding knowledge is our key to victory - we continuously hone our crafts, seek the fastest paths to improve, and are quick to absorb and apply new insights.

Why you should join Heirloom

• We are solving the challenge of our generation. Climate change is an existential threat, and we need as many of the world’s motivated minds as possible to help. There is no greater challenge or opportunity than fighting climate change.

• We are a world-class team. We are engineers, scientists, and concerned humans from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who are pooling our knowledge and skills to collectively build a more equitable, prosperous future for all.

• We remain united, resilient, and optimistic. We recognize the magnitude of the challenge ahead of us, yet believe that we can contribute to mitigating the worst effects of climate change. It won’t be easy, but we won’t quit.

We are backed by credible climate partners. We’re well funded by investors from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Ahren Innovation Capital, Carbon Direct, Microsoft, Lowercarbon Capital, ARPA-e and the National Science Foundation. Our early customers include Stripe, Shopify, and Klarna, and we’re building durable partnerships that enable us to tackle this decades-long problem.