Thermal/Chemical Process Engineer
Build thermochemical reactors for energy storage. Design, prototype, scale. VC-backed cleantech startup. Wellington-based.
- Design and prototype gas-solid thermochemical reactors
- Own the engineering roadmap from simulation through to pilot deployment
- Hands-on role combining thermal systems design, modelling, and physical prototyp
We're working with a Wellington-based energy storage company solving a $15B+ problem: how to store summer heat and release it in winter when energy costs spike.
Their thermal energy storage technology enables buildings and industrial facilities to shift energy loads across time and places, cutting heating costs by up to 40% while decarbonising one of the hardest sectors to electrify.
They've proven the material science. Now they need someone to engineer a working reactor prototype that can scale commercially.
This is an early-stage, VC-backed company with 18+ months runway, a clear path to pilot deployment, and commercial partnerships already in motion. You'd be joining at the stage where your design decisions shape the product architecture for the next decade.
What you'd be building
A gas-solid thermochemical reactor system that moves air through reactive material beds, manages humidity and temperature cycling, and integrates sensors, controls, and thermal management components.
You're designing for modularity, repeatability, and eventual manufacturability. The prototype you build will be tested in real-world conditions with commercial partners within 12 months.
The role
You'll own the reactor design from concept through prototype validation. That means:
What they're looking for
Core technical capability:
Work directly with a technical founder who understands the science and gives you room to solve hard problems. Small team, high trust, real ownership over engineering decisions and the chance to build technology that actually shifts the dial on industrial decarbonisation.
Work environment:
Their thermal energy storage technology enables buildings and industrial facilities to shift energy loads across time and places, cutting heating costs by up to 40% while decarbonising one of the hardest sectors to electrify.
They've proven the material science. Now they need someone to engineer a working reactor prototype that can scale commercially.
This is an early-stage, VC-backed company with 18+ months runway, a clear path to pilot deployment, and commercial partnerships already in motion. You'd be joining at the stage where your design decisions shape the product architecture for the next decade.
What you'd be building
A gas-solid thermochemical reactor system that moves air through reactive material beds, manages humidity and temperature cycling, and integrates sensors, controls, and thermal management components.
You're designing for modularity, repeatability, and eventual manufacturability. The prototype you build will be tested in real-world conditions with commercial partners within 12 months.
The role
You'll own the reactor design from concept through prototype validation. That means:
- Leading process and mechanical design (flow paths, pressure management, heat exchange optimisation)
- Running CFD and thermal simulations to derisk design decisions before fabrication
- Building and testing physical prototypes (hands-on assembly, instrumentation, iterative validation)
- Working directly with materials scientists to integrate novel thermochemical materials into engineered systems
- Documenting design rationale, test protocols, and scale-up pathways for future production
What they're looking for
Core technical capability:
- 5-10+ years in process engineering, mechanical engineering, or thermal systems
- Demonstrated experience designing reactors, heat exchangers, or thermal process equipment
- Strong command of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, mass transfer fundamentals
- Proficiency with CAD (SolidWorks/AutoCAD) and simulation tools (ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL, Aspen Plus, MATLAB/Python)
- Hands-on prototyping experience (not just simulation - you've built things and validated models against real data)
- You've worked in early-stage environments before and know how to move fast with imperfect information
- You're comfortable owning end-to-end problems without clear handoffs or established processes
- You default to building and testing rather than over-engineering on paper
- You can communicate technical trade-offs clearly to non-engineers (founders, investors, commercial partners)
- Experience with gas-solid reactions, adsorption systems, HVAC or thermal energy storage technologies
- Pilot plant or experimental rig design and commissioning
- Track record of taking R&D concepts through to commercial prototypes
Work directly with a technical founder who understands the science and gives you room to solve hard problems. Small team, high trust, real ownership over engineering decisions and the chance to build technology that actually shifts the dial on industrial decarbonisation.
Work environment:
- On-site in Wellington (Gracefield) - this is a hardware role, not remote-friendly
- Small team, low bureaucracy, high autonomy
- Founding-stage culture: expect to wear multiple hats, solve problems outside your job description, and influence company direction