Catalyst Engineer

The Mission:
Retire The Haber-Bosch Process.

Humanity relies on the Haber-Bosch process to feed 4 billion people, but it consumes ~1% of the world's energy and spews gigatons of carbon dioxide. At Andros, we are building the reactor to end this dependency. We are developing a decentralized, low-pressure ammonia synthesis platform to decarbonize the future of food and fuel. We need a Catalyst Engineer who thrives in the lab, loves experimentation, and is ready to turn breakthrough chemistry into consistent data.

The Role

You will operate at the intersection of experimental synthesis and reactor operations. While others simulate, you experiment and build. You will be responsible for synthesizing our proprietary catalysts, operating our test rigs, and ensuring that our data pipeline is robust and reproducible.

What you will actually do:

Execute Synthesis Campaigns: Prepare and optimize catalyst batches ranging from grams to kilograms. You will ensure tight quality control on every batch you make.

Run the Test Rigs: You will operate our catalyst screening rigs and pilot reactors.

Hands-on Hardware: You are comfortable working with Swagelok, mass flow controllers, and thermocouples. If a line clogs or a heater fails, you are the first line of defense.

Characterize & Analyze: Use XRD, BET, and Chemisorption to characterize fresh and spent materials. You will correlate physical properties with reactor performance to help the team iterate faster.

Data Processing: You will take raw reactor data and process it using Python or MATLAB to calculate conversion, yield, and kinetics.

Safety First: Operate within the safe windows defined by the engineering team and actively participate in safety reviews (HAZOPs) for toxic gas handling.

Must-Haves:

PhD in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or Chemistry (Recent graduates encouraged) OR MS/BS with 2-4 years of relevant R&D experience.

Lab Competence:
You have spent significant time in a wet lab and a reactor lab. You know how to handle air-sensitive materials and high-pressure gas lines.

Mechanical Aptitude:
You don't call a technician when a valve leaks; you fix it. You enjoy building and modifying test stands.

Data Fluency:
You don't just use Excel. You use Python, MATLAB, or JMP to analyze kinetic data and model reactor performance.

Nice-to-Haves:

Experience with heterogeneous catalysis for hydrogenation or ammonia synthesis.

Experience forming catalysts (pelletizing, extruding) for industrial beds.

Knowledge of Process Safety Management (PSM) for toxic gases.

Why Andros?

Solve a Century-Defining Challenge: You will be working on one of the most significant hurdles in modern thermodynamics: breaking the nitrogen triple bond efficiently. This is not incremental optimization; it is a fundamental shift in how the world produces energy and food. Your work will directly contribute to decarbonizing gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The Deep Tech Frontier: You will be working at the cutting edge of heterogeneous catalysis and reactor engineering. We are deploying novel hardware systems that move beyond standard industry practices. You will have access to the resources and tooling required to bridge the gap between theoretical chemistry and industrial application.

Mission-Driven Velocity: We operate with the urgency that the climate crisis demands. You will join a lean, high-caliber team where iteration cycles are measured in days, not quarters. We value rapid hypothesis testing, data-driven decisions, and scientific rigor.

Meaningful Equity: We believe that the engineers building the future should share in the value they create. As a key early member of the technical team, you will receive a competitive equity…