Process Design Modeling Engineer

Solugen

Houston, TX 77035

Position

Process Design Modeling Engineer

About Solugen

Solugen, Inc. is a revolutionary technology company seeking to use biology to transform the chemicals industry. Solugen was founded in 2016 and is a post-Series C venture-backed startup company supported by renowned venture capital firms. Located in Houston, Texas, Solugen is currently scaling up new chemoenzymatic processes to its first-of-a-kind carbon negative manufacturing facility, the Bioforge. Solugen currently has 100+ full time employees.

Mission

Reporting to the Director of Process Development, this role focuses on (i) the modeling and optimization of existing processes, (ii) conceptual design of future facilities, and (iii) the translation of new scientific discoveries to actionable engineering designs. Activities will involve creating techno-economic models of potential future processes, creating flowsheet process models, and early-stage conceptual designs of future plants. This role will partner heavily with Solugen’s engineering team.

Key Outcomes

1. Develop techno-economic assessments for existing and incumbent processes, and use these models to inform R&D targets, process KPIs, and commercial decisions
2. Generate a flowsheet model of Solugen’s existing demonstration plant, the Bioforge, and validate against process data
3. Develop computer models (PYTHON, MATLAB, COMSOL) of Solugen’s core technology unit operations
4. Execute Front End Loading Stage 1 (FEL1, conceptual design) for new plants and processes
5. Generate Process Development Packages/Basic Data Packages to handover new concepts to the engineering team

Key Competencies

Job Specific

- Experience with flowsheet modeling/design software (ASPEN, ChemCAD) required

- Experience with early-stage process design (FEL0, FEL1) greatly desired

- Experience with techno-economic assessments (TEAs) greatly desired

- Skill with MATLAB or Python greatly desired

- Experience with computational fluid dynamics/finite element analysis (COMSOL) a plus

- Comfortable in a lab a plus

- Experience in pilot plants a plus

- Comfortable pursuing ill-defined optimization problems with minimal input from management

- Comfortable working in an industrial environment

- Able to lift and move up to 25 pounds

- Able to (infrequently) work shifts during pilot plant campaigns

- Able to travel 10-25%

- Strong written technical communication skills

Company Specific

- Ask a lot of questions, be curious, and have insights into your work

- Be nimble, embrace the speed and ambiguity of startup culture

- A passion for green chemistry and fighting climate change

- Ability to self-manage and set your own priorities and schedule

- Be comfortable working in multiple roles

- Emphasize safety above all else

- Respect for others

- Creative problem solving

- Willingness to learn and research new engineering/science concepts

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

5+ years of process development/design experience, ideally with process modeling/simulation

OR

Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering

3+ years of process development/design experience, ideally with process modeling/simulation

Solugen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other legally protected status.