Principal Engineer, Reactor Design

The Position

We are seeking a Principal Engineer, Reactor Design to join our team. This role will report to our Director, Development. This position will provide technical contributions in the area of chemical reaction engineering (CRE) with emphasis on advanced kinetics over heterogeneous catalysts, reactor design and modeling across our lab, pilot, demonstration and commercial scales. This role is a part of our RD&E department and will work closely with our scientists, engineers, and operations team. This role is based in Brooklyn, NY.

What you get to do 

• Develop robust kinetic expressions and rate laws (first principles and empirical) using micro-and macro-kinetics (MK), transition-state-theory (TST), multivariate statistical approaches, residence time distribution analysis.
• Design unique experiments to independently measure fundamental kinetic parameters, exploring hydrodynamics and intrinsic kinetic analysis along with deactivation mechanisms.
• Provide data analysis, visualizations, schematics, drawings and illustrations that capture the heat, mass and momentum gradients and physico-chemical phenomena taking place within a reactor system, as well as, reaction network analysis, and/or reaction graph theory, reaction coordinate analysis and catalytic cycle/turn-over diagrams.
• Provide technical evaluations of existing novel reactor technologies relative to state-of-the-art traditional solutions while suggesting realistic configurations and designs that show viability at scale.
• Provide technical design of reactor structures and material selection for an industrial reactor.
• Provide support to scientists and engineers for reactor development, as well as, invent/develop new reactor technologies. 
• Work closely with EPCs in support of front-end engineering activities and serve as a liaison between Air Company and outside EPCs, clients, and vendors on all activities related to reactor technologies. 
• Perform data analysis, present findings and recommendations in oral presentation and/or written reports.
• Ensure compliance with relevant engineering design standards/guidelines, as well as, environmental, health and safety regulations.

What you bring to AIR COMPANY

• Master's degree in Chemical, Bio-Chemical or Petroleum Engineering with emphasis on Chemical Reaction Engineering (CRE).
• 15-year minimum industrial working experience focused on reactor design and kinetics through experiments and models.
• Work experience as a commercial-scale reactor process unit engineer and/or process design engineer within any of the following industries: petroleum refining, petrochemical processing, chemical processing, renewable energy, bio-energy.  
• Ability to assist in the physical set-up of experimental apparatus and test rigs.
• Familiar with modeling engineered catalysts (e.g. pellets, spheres, rings) and engineered reactor structures (e.g. foams, monoliths, micro-channels, grooves, fins).
• Fundamental understanding of chemical reaction thermodynamics and reaction kinetics theories
• Strong background in homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic reactors. Mastering the theory and practical knowledge with multiphase chemical reactors and transport phenomena.  
• Experience with software drawing and schematic development tools (e.g. AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Visio)
• Experience with numerical and computational modeling tools (e.g. Matlab, Maple, Mathematica, Polymath, Python, COMSOL, Fluent, ANSYS, OpenFOAM)  and statistical algorithms ((e.g. neural Networks, partial least squares, projection to latent structures, PCR, SIMCA-P, Monte Carlo simulations, machine learning)
• Active professional society memberships are valued (e.g. AIChE-CRE), as well as, publications (e.g. patents and peer-reviewed journal articles ) and presentations

Bonus Points

• Masters degree or PhD preferred
• Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) credentials
• A record demonstrating the involvement from lab scale towards industrialization of novel reactor systems

Salary Range: $150,000 - $180,000

The approximate annual base compensation range and benefits listed above may vary based on the applicant's experience, skills, abilities, and relevant industry expertise.

At Air Company we value employees for their unique perspectives. We are an inclusive Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We consider applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women, marginalized genders and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At AIR COMPANY we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles

Working at Air Company

In addition to standard medical and dental benefits, that kick in Day 1, we are:

• A people-first, climate solutions company driven to move society to a more sustainable future
• A unified team of climate optimists with an exceptional and diverse range of backgrounds
• Committed to fostering collaboration with a team that believes in the power of science and that business can be used as a force for good… 

We also provide:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance. 100% coverage of employee insurance premiums, and 50% coverage of spouse & dependent insurance premiums.
• Company funded Short Term Disability
• Flexible and generous paid time off, including national holidays and sick leave
• A tax deferred 401(k) Plan to invest in your future
• Commuter Benefits: Pre-Tax Income for MassTransit
• Paid Family Leave
• Employee Wellness Program 
• Sponsored company events and DEI social initiatives
• Friday catered meals