Co-Founder and CTO, Critical Minerals Decarbonization

Roadrunner Venture Studios is the nation’s leading platform for founding breakthrough ventures in deep technology, focusing on energy/climate tech, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductors. Our mission is to turn frontier tech into robust companies for the benefit of the American people.

Graphite, identified as a critical mineral by the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense, is vital to a variety of industries. Rapid growth of EVs and stationary energy storage is anticipated to drive the graphite market to a 3-4x supply deficit by the early 2030s. Compounding these challenges is that a single country currently produces the majority of the world’s graphite raw materials and controls nearly 100% of the refining process. This means a business-as-usual energy transition will introduce significant geopolitical and supply chain risks.

We are working with one of our portfolio companies to pioneer a novel method to convert abundant carbon-bearing feedstocks into high-purity graphite for use in lithium ion batteries. In contrast with conventional and other emerging technologies, our approach will significantly reduce input energy requirements while enabling industrial-scale throughput, enabling domestic production of graphite at prices significantly lower than overseas incumbents.

About the Role:

We are seeking a visionary and entrepreneurial scientist or engineer with a strong background in chemical and/or process engineering to join our founding team as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Critical Minerals Decarbonization. This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in building a groundbreaking company focused on developing low-cost domestic supplies of battery-grade graphite. As the CTO, you will be instrumental in driving the technological strategy and engineering execution necessary to take our innovative process from the lab to large-scale commercial deployment.

This is a high-impact role with significant equity ownership, reflecting your responsibilities as a co-founder and senior executive. If you are driven by the challenge of bringing cutting-edge technology to market and want to play a key role in solving a critical global supply chain issue, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work closely with leading academic institutions and research partners to refine and optimize the chemical reactor design and process engineering. Translate cutting-edge research into scalable solutions by applying your deep understanding of chemical and process engineering principles.

• Spearhead the transition of our technology from lab-scale prototypes to pilot-scale operations and, ultimately, full-scale production. Oversee the design, engineering, and execution of pilot-scale tests to validate the performance, efficiency, safety, and scalability of the process.

• Recruit, mentor, and lead a world-class engineering team capable of solving complex technical challenges and delivering high-impact results in a fast-paced startup environment. Foster a collaborative and creative engineering culture that encourages problem-solving, continuous learning, and technical excellence.

• Collaborate with the founding team to set the technology vision and roadmap, aligning it with the company’s overall mission and business strategy. Stay abreast of emerging trends and technologies in graphite production, energy storage, and related fields, identifying potential areas for innovation and improvement to differentiate the company in the marketplace.

• Work closely with the CEO and Roadrunner Venture Studios team to shape and execute the company's go-to-market strategy. Engage with industry stakeholders, customers, suppliers, and investors to communicate the technical value proposition of the company's products and ensure successful market entry and growth.

• Advanced expertise in chemical and process engineering, particularly in reaction engineering, process optimization, and scaling of industrial systems.
• Experience transitioning technologies from lab-scale prototypes to pilot and full-scale commercial production.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively to diverse stakeholders, including researchers, investors, and industry partners.
• Commitment to a culture of transparency, creativity, and continuous improvement within the engineering team and across the organization.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for innovation and sustainability, willing to embrace calculated risks for company growth and aligned with the company’s mission to address critical global supply chain challenges.

• Significant experience in growth-focused roles within deep tech or startups.
• Demonstrated success in scaling technologies from prototypes to full-scale production, with a track record of building successful startups.
• Demonstrated track record of managing complex engineering projects, ensuring that timelines, costs, and safety standards are met.
• Experience building and mentoring high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, growth, and excellence.
• Strategic thinker with experience contributing to commercialization strategies, including go-to-market plans and forming strategic partnerships.

Roadrunner Venture Studios is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or prohibited by Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.