As a Senior Mechanical Engineer based out of our Fort Lupton facility, you’ll be responsible for designing the next generation of pyrolysis technology, implementing and troubleshooting mechanical systems in production, and collaborating with the broader engineering team, including electrical, automation, and manufacturing engineers, as well as fabricators, technicians, and operators. This group collaborates to overcome design/build/test challenges and successfully execute commissioning and production handover campaigns.
This role involves designing new mechanical systems, selecting electromechanical actuators, sensors, pumps, etc. and continually improving on our pyrolysis and biomass processing equipment. You’ll turn wrenches to help bring your designs to life and work with our testing team to ensure your systems meet overall design intent. Often, you will be tasked with updating the configuration of legacy systems in order to validate novel design pathways or new subsystems, informing the architecture of our next generation of pyrolysis equipment. In order to meet Charm’s overall production and throughput goals, the role will leverage mechanical and system expertise to provide troubleshooting support for production machines based on issues observed by our Operations partners. This role will report to the Lead Pyrolysis Engineer based out of Fort Lupton, Colorado.
Someone successful in this role will enjoy bringing new designs to life and helping to test and commission their new equipment. This person takes pride in delivering robust mechanical solutions that work in the real world, and loves stepping through the root cause analysis process when systems are not performing as intended. This person also takes an analytical approach to problem solving and is not afraid to step out of their comfort zone when tackling new problems. A great attitude in the face of difficult and fast-paced environments is a must! We have ambitious goals, help us make them possible!
Your Responsibilities
Design unique solutions for our next generation operations pyrolyzer: Develop mechanical and electromechanical systems for production use while considering interfacing systems, operating requirements, operator burden, and regular service and maintenance. Consider what technology needs thorough R&D to simplify and redefine our machine architecture. Learn from previous successes and failures to develop and integrate novel vessels and process steps that tie back to real business needs. Work with our testing team to validate performance before operations integration.
Conduct thorough engineering analysis: Work with process engineers to develop thermal and flow models to inform system design. Process piping and vessels are important components in our greater pyrolysis system, refine their mechanisms to deliver an industrial solution.
Troubleshoot and resolve issues: Identify and troubleshoot mechanical system malfunctions and performance gaps. Determine why a failure mode is observed and implement a corrective action to return the system to optimal performance.
Develop and execute test plans and commissioning campaigns for production hardware: Take direct ownership of your designs beyond pressing print on your drawings. Validate performance before and after machine installation.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams: Work closely with electrical engineers, software developers, and other mechanical engineers to implement mechanical systems into the larger pyrolysis package
Support on-call production support as needed, if our frontline Engineering Technician group needs help solving critical Operations problems
You Bring
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
Seasoned mechanical design experience (5-8 years)
CAD knowledge is a must, we use OnShape
Experience reviewing and releasing detailed fabrication and assembly drawings with a high attention to detail and strong configuration control practices
Skilled in modes of heat transfer, sensor and actuator selection for robust operations, and building project requirements from ambiguity
Skilled with basic fabrication techniques and the design principles around them
Familiarity with piping standards, flange interfaces, gasket selection, and mechanical integration of process systems.
Hands-on mechanical troubleshooting and assembly experience
A strong willingness to get your hands dirty and intimately interact with all pyrolysis system components
Documentation skills that demonstrate your thought process and design process when making improvements
Skilled with electromechanical systems and design for material handling, think conveyors, pumps, and blowers
Experience designing mechanical weldment under load and process pressure
A desire to work alongside Electrical & Controls Engineers and fabricators to turn solutions into physical, installed hardware as quickly as possible. Use quick implementation skills to make quick and long-term fixes to the pyrolysis system in service of system improvement.
Ability to communicate priorities, system progress, and work cross functionally
Hands-on mechanical troubleshooting and assembly experience
An excitement for scaling up hardware that has the potential to positively impact climate change!
Bonus, if You BringA Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
Onshape modeling experience
Experience with process piping and vessel design in high-temperature or industrial environments
Design of operations facing industrial equipment
Experience with 24/7 operations
- Equity ownership through stock options
- 100% employee healthcare premiums covered
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with multiple plan options
- Employer-funded HSA contributions for eligible HDHP plans
- Traditional and Roth 401(k) with a 50% match on contributions up to 6%
- Paid leave, including parental and medical leave
- PPE and workwear allowances
- Annual professional development stipend
- Employee recognition programs that celebrate impactful work and team contributions
- Opportunities for internal growth, career development, and transition into climate from a range of industries and backgrounds
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- 5–8 years of seasoned mechanical design experience
- CAD experience; the company uses Onshape
- Experience reviewing and releasing detailed fabrication and assembly drawings
- Strong configuration control practices
- Knowledge of heat transfer, sensor and actuator selection, and requirements development
- Basic fabrication skills and design-for-fabrication principles
- Familiarity with piping standards, flange interfaces, gasket selection, and process-system integration
- Hands-on mechanical troubleshooting and assembly experience
- Experience with electromechanical systems and material-handling equipment such as conveyors, pumps, and blowers
- Experience designing mechanical weldments under load and process pressure
- Ability to communicate priorities and work cross-functionally
- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- Onshape modeling experience
- Process piping and vessel design experience in high-temperature or industrial environments
- Experience designing operations-facing industrial equipment
- Experience with 24/7 operations
What We Do
Charm Industrial is working to return the atmosphere to 280 ppm CO₂. We design, build and operate a fleet of mobile fast pyrolyzers that convert ag and forest biomass residues into bio-oil for use in carbon removal and direct-reduced-iron steelmaking. In 2020 our Chief Scientist and co-founder Shaun Meehan had two breakthroughs (bio-oil intermediate and bio-oil sequestration) that kickstarted the company. Within 10 months we completed our first carbon removal injection and in 2021 we completed more than 5,000 tons of CO₂e removal for customers like Stripe, Shopify and Microsoft.
