Technician – Heterogeneous Metals Catalysis

Solugen

Houston, TX 77035

Position

Technician – Heterogeneous Metals Catalysis

About Solugen

At Solugen, we believe planet-scale change starts with the chemistry we use every day. So we’ve built the world’s first carbon negative molecule factory. Fusing biology with chemistry and technology to make the materials we need to sustain life on Earth. Solugen, Inc. is a revolutionary product and technology company using biology to transform the chemicals industry. Solugen was founded in 2016 and is a post-Series C venture-backed biotechnology company supported by renowned venture capital firms including Founders Fund, FiftyYears, Refactor, Y Combinator, Kinnevik, Lower Carbon, Cantos, Temasek, GIC, and Baillie-Gifford. Located in Houston, Texas, Solugen has recently started-up a first-of-its-kind carbon-negative manufacturing facility - The Bioforge TM - that uses a novel chemoenzymatic technology to manufacture bio-based chemistries for a wide range of markets including water treatment, agriculture, personal care, and other applications. Solugen currently has 200+ full time employees.

Mission

Solugen’s mission is to decarbonize chemicals manufacturing. As a first step, in 2021 Solugen built a 10,000 tpy first commercial plant with the potential to offset up to 37,000 tpy of carbon dioxide equivalents. The plant was successfully started in 2021. This role will directly support Solugen’s mission by continuously improving Solugen’s core catalytic platform. As the activity, selectivity, stability, and manufacturing cost of Solugen’s core catalytic platform continuously improves, the quality of Solugen’s products and our cost to manufacture improve.

Key Outcomes

• Perform QC/QA materials characterization by enhanced phys.-chem. analysis and catalyst performance tests
• Document the results by using adequate software
• Organize a sample management for inorganic compounds
• Implement a safety structure for materials storage
• Maintain the analytical equipment and the reactor set up

Key Competencies

Job Specific

• Advanced graduate training in the synthesis, characterization, and/or application of novel heterogeneous catalytic materials towards green chemistry
• Familiarity with advanced catalyst characterization techniques including HPLC, GC, BET, chemisorption, TEM, SEM, EDX, ICP, TGA
• Deep knowledge of Microsoft Office, lab organization software tools
• Detailed experience in interpretation of scientific data

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

• Associates Degree/Certification in the areas of chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science or related field, or at least 3 years’ experience in the chemical industry.

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.