Mechanical Engineer - Hardware Testing

About Charm

Our mission is to reverse climate change and return the atmosphere to 280 ppm CO₂, profitably. We convert waste biomass into carbon-rich bio-oil and inject it into permanent, underground storage as carbon removal, or reform the bio-oil to produce syngas for fossil-free steel.

Our carbon removal pathway took off in 2020 with initial purchases from customers like Stripe, Shopify & Microsoft. In 2021 and 2022 we delivered thousands of tons of carbon removal via off-the-shelf pathways, and also deployed our first R&D prototype pyrolyzer of our own. In the next 18 months, we'll build and deploy the next pyrolyzer revision, demonstrate our fossil-free ironmaking pilot, substantially expand our operations in Colorado and put thousands of tonnes of CO₂e underground.

We're looking to expand our team of ambitious creative and hands-on engineers, fabricators, operators, and forward-thinking humans. We value psychological safety and collaboration. We take calculated risks and don't sweep mistakes under the rug; instead, we pin them to the wall and learn from them. We value that everyone’s unique backgrounds and perspectives shape their work. We encourage you to read our company values.

Come help us reverse climate change. Gigatons or bust!

About the Role 

Charm is the leader in delivered, permanent, verifiable carbon removal to date - but the climate problem is big, and we’ve got to keep growing! Charm, and the industry overall, is capacity constrained and needs to scale quickly to hit gigatons of carbon removal in our fight against negative climate effects. This role will play a critical part in that story! As a Mechanical Engineer on the Test team, you’ll work hands-on with hardware in every step of the development process, from prototype to deployed solution.

You will be responsible for the operation, improvement, and associated data analysis of test hardware at our San Francisco Minifactory. You will collaborate closely with the Design and Operations teams to identify the proper suite of testing needed to validate hardware, organize and operate the equipment, and analyze the data to help determine the best path forward. When problems with equipment inevitably arise (that’s half the fun!) you’ll have to flex your mechanical design skills to design, procure, and build a solution to get us back on track.  Every day will be different as you work hands-on towards the assembly and integration of hardware, analyze and organize data, and work with others to help determine the critical path forward for the company. 

The San Francisco test team supports a number of different internal efforts, ranging from optimizing our existing production equipment to testing completely novel technologies. There’s still a lot of ground to cover here - expect to be chasing large improvements and forever be challenging our current understanding! This role will report to the Testing Manager and will interact closely with our Design and Pyrotronics (pyrolysis electronics) teams.

• Work with the Design team to develop test plans that adequately quantify system performance
• Prepare test hardware and procedures to ensure a smooth and safe test campaign
• Execute test plans and procedures to collect equipment performance data
• Analyze data to validate performance, troubleshoot, and provide clarity on the path forward
• Work with external teams to modify and repair equipment electronics
• Design, procure, and build mechanical design solutions to problems as they arise

• 2+ years of experience in developing physical hardware, ideally a test bench
• A self-starter who can identify mechanical improvements that will make the system more operable, and the engineering acumen to see those through to completion
• Proven ability to own a piece of hardware’s continual improvement and development
• Experience building simple data collection frameworks and the attention to detail to ensure all data is captured in the same way throughout the test campaign
• Ability to analyze data to quantify performance, troubleshoot anomalies, and inform design improvements
• A desire to be hands on with equipment

• Practical experience with test setups and associated infrastructure, including software integration and controls hardware
• Experience executing tests and test campaigns
• Knowledge of pyrolysis, gasification or other thermal conversion processes 
• Familiarity with Python or other scripting languages 
• Experience with chemical processing hardware

What We Offer

· Stock options

· Health benefits (medical, dental, vision)

· Traditional and Roth 401(k)

· Paid time off, including parental leave

- A yearly professional development stipend

· Healthy snacks and lunches at a sweet workplace with lots of space inside and out

· A chance to pivot into a role in climate!

Visa Sponsorship Policy

Since we are a small startup, certain accommodations for visa sponsorship may not be within our capability. At this time, Charm Industrial is only sponsoring E3 and TN visas.

Our Commitment

Charm Industrial is an equal opportunity employer with a firm commitment to growing our team in an inclusive way, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, medical condition, age, or veteran status. The consequences of climate change inherently affect some more than others, and we need a diverse team to help us save our little planet most effectively & justly. We are excited about all of those who choose to apply, and for those who end up joining us, to see how you better us as a team and company. We are more than the sum of our parts.