What are the responsibilities and job description for the Electrochemical Engineer position at Travertine?
About Travertine
Travertine is a Climate Tech start-up based in Boulder, CO, that is rapidly scaling a technology for low-waste, carbon-negative production of critical elements, focusing on phosphoric acid production for our go-to-market. Our electrochemical process converts phosphate rock into phosphoric acid for EV batteries and fertilizers, as well as cementitious materials using carbon dioxide captured from the air. Travertine was spun out of UC Berkeley in 2022 to scale this process to gigatons of permanent CDR while massively reducing industrial waste.
Since its founding, Travertine has raised over $25M in capital, including over $5M in US Federal and State government grants. As one of the first companies to receive pre-purchases of CDR from the new Stripe-led $1B Frontier fund, and as founding members of the Carbon Removal Alliance, we are committed to industrial decarbonization at scale. We were named C&EN 10 startups to watch in 2022, a Bloomberg NEF Pioneer in 2023, and RMI Third Derivative 1st Gigaton Captured program participants in 2024. Today we are focused on scaling up commercial deployments of our technology, starting with a Demonstration Plant to be commissioned in mid-2025. We believe in developing practical approaches to solving the climate crisis.
The Role
The Electrochemical Engineer will play a key role in advancing Travertine’s cutting-edge electrochemical technology. This is an exciting opportunity for electrochemists and electrochemical engineers to contribute to the climate tech space. As an individual contributor in this role, you will report to the Engineering Manager of Electrolyzer R&D and collaborate across the whole Travertine team to research, design, and test electrolyzers, including their active and passive components. Success in this role requires a proactive mindset and strong critical thinking skills to evaluate and propose multiple solutions for improving electrolyzer performance and reducing cost.
Key Responsibilities
Travertine is a Climate Tech start-up based in Boulder, CO, that is rapidly scaling a technology for low-waste, carbon-negative production of critical elements, focusing on phosphoric acid production for our go-to-market. Our electrochemical process converts phosphate rock into phosphoric acid for EV batteries and fertilizers, as well as cementitious materials using carbon dioxide captured from the air. Travertine was spun out of UC Berkeley in 2022 to scale this process to gigatons of permanent CDR while massively reducing industrial waste.
Since its founding, Travertine has raised over $25M in capital, including over $5M in US Federal and State government grants. As one of the first companies to receive pre-purchases of CDR from the new Stripe-led $1B Frontier fund, and as founding members of the Carbon Removal Alliance, we are committed to industrial decarbonization at scale. We were named C&EN 10 startups to watch in 2022, a Bloomberg NEF Pioneer in 2023, and RMI Third Derivative 1st Gigaton Captured program participants in 2024. Today we are focused on scaling up commercial deployments of our technology, starting with a Demonstration Plant to be commissioned in mid-2025. We believe in developing practical approaches to solving the climate crisis.
The Role
The Electrochemical Engineer will play a key role in advancing Travertine’s cutting-edge electrochemical technology. This is an exciting opportunity for electrochemists and electrochemical engineers to contribute to the climate tech space. As an individual contributor in this role, you will report to the Engineering Manager of Electrolyzer R&D and collaborate across the whole Travertine team to research, design, and test electrolyzers, including their active and passive components. Success in this role requires a proactive mindset and strong critical thinking skills to evaluate and propose multiple solutions for improving electrolyzer performance and reducing cost.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead R&D projects on ion exchange membranes and other active components, including both commercially available and customized options.
- Develop key performance indicators, experimental designs, schedules, and execution plans, including training and mentoring junior engineers as needed.
- Evaluate electrolyzer components for novel development and scale-up.
- Identify technical challenges in electrolyzer performance/durability and propose multiple solution pathways.
- Effectively engage with suppliers, communicate requirements clearly, and align sourcing strategies with electrolyzer scale-up goals.
- Communicate data-driven findings effectively through strong verbal and written communication.
- Oversee laboratory operations while enforcing safety protocols and fostering a strong safety culture.
- Education & Experience: BS with 5 years, MS with 3 years, or PhD with 1 years of industry or equivalent experience in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, materials science, or a related field.
- Electrochemical Device Expertise: 4 years of experience designing and testing electrochemical devices, including electrolyzers for water electrolysis, fuel cells, CO₂ electrolysis, flow batteries or chlor-alkali processes.
- Membrane Experience: 2 years of experience with both commercial and experimental ion-exchange membranes (e.g., proton exchange membranes, anion exchange membranes, bipolar membranes).
- Collaboration & Communication: Excellent teamwork skills with a proactive approach to cross-functional collaboration and.
- Organization & Safety: Detail oriented and organized with careful attention to environmental health and safety.
- Experience in impurity treatment and hydrometallurgy-related projects is a plus.
- Experience with design of experimental test systems.
- Demonstrated involvement in transitioning technologies from lab-scale to commercialization plant (scale-up).
- Competitive pay
- Stock options
- Health, Dental, Vision, Basic Life Insurance
- 401k with 100% match up to 3% of base salary
- Flexible time off policy
