Role Description
Via is seeking a hands-on Research Engineer II to join our New Applications group. This role is critical to expanding Via’s reach into new industrial sectors. You will be responsible for the "first look" at diverse industrial feedstocks, determining how our membrane technology stands up to new chemical environments. This position sits at the bridge between R&D and commercial deployment, requiring a mix of disciplined analytical testing and creative material fabrication.Responsibilities Include:
Feedstock Screening: Characterize and test new industrial feedstocks to evaluate safety as well as compatibility and performance with Via’s membrane platforms.
Performance Benchmarking: Execute bench-scale filtration experiments to measure critical metrics, specifically solute rejection, flux, and permeability.
Lifetime & Stability Testing: Design and run long-term experiments to determine membrane durability, fouling rates, and cleaning effectiveness over time.
Membrane Fabrication: Support the R&D pipeline by performing "hand coatings" and bench-top membrane casting to iterate on novel surface chemistries.
Analytical Measurement: Utilize analytical tools (e.g., GC, UV-Vis, TOC, KF, or conductivity) to provide high-accuracy data on feed and permeate streams.
- Data Synthesis: Analyze experimental results, maintain rigorous documentation, and communicate findings to the engineering and sales teams to inform go/no-go decisions on new applications.
The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these qualifications:
Education: B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related technical field.
Experience: 3 years of experience in a laboratory or pilot plant environment. Experience with membrane separations (RO, NF, UF) is a significant plus.
Technical Skills: Proficiency with wet chemistry, handling pressurized fluid systems, and basic analytical instrumentation.
Behavioral Competencies: A "builder" mindset with a high degree of manual dexterity; you enjoy working with your hands, troubleshooting hardware, and iterating on physical prototypes.
Travel: Occasional travel (up to 10%) to customer sites or field pilots may be required.
U.S. work authorization is required for this role.
We Offer:
Competitive compensation package, including equity options
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
Disability & Life Insurance
401(k)
12 weeks paid Family Leave
Flexible PTO
Paid time off for Company holidays
What We Do
At Via Separations, we take a materials approach to the world's wasted energy. We are optimistic about scientific progress, passionate about global impact, and creative in everything we do. We are not afraid of hard problems, and we encourage each other to live at the intersections of disciplines, act on great ideas, and design everything. Via eliminates energy use in industrial processes, enabling pathways for a more sustainable, resource efficient future. With its core filtration technology, Via can slash the energy used in separation processes by 90%. We are a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team backed by The Engine, Safar Partners, Prime Impact Fund, and MassCEC.
