Senior Mechanical Engineer

About Zero Carbon Systems

Zero Carbon Systems (ZCS) is a clean energy and direct air capture company on a mission to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon future. We are developing and deploying breakthrough technologies designed to reduce atmospheric CO2 at scale, addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Backed by mission aligned investors and led by a team of passionate innovators, ZCS sits at the intersection of cutting edge science and real world impact.

We are building a diverse, collaborative, and driven team of individuals who share our commitment to excellence, creativity, and the belief that the work we do today will shape the world of tomorrow. If you are energized by meaningful work and want to be part of a company where your contributions directly advance the clean energy transition, we would love to hear from you.

Zero Carbon Systems seeks a Senior Engineer, Mechanical to support the design, build, validation, and upgrades of process equipment for Direct Air Capture (DAC) machinery and Pilot Plant at ZCS's Brighton, CO location. Additional responsibilities may include remote engineering and design support for the ZCS demonstration plant. This full‑time, on‑site position reports to the Director of Mechanical Engineering.

• Manage and execute full life cycle development of process and mechanical equipment for DAC facilities and test rigs
• Build prototype equipment and design, develop, manufacture, and analyze prototypes and revisions of equipment
• Support installs of company equipment and facilities, including Factory and Site Acceptance Testing and Installation and Operational Qualification
• Prepare cost estimates, budgets, and schedules for the design, fabrication, and procurement of new equipment
• Develop experiments, design and procure test rigs, execute testing programs, and document results to validate designs
• In conjunction with a project management team, manage internal and external stakeholders to deliver projects on time and on budget
• Write technical documentation including Standard Operating Procedures for machine operators
• Support continuous improvement by facilitating post‑mortem analyses of projects and documenting areas for improvement
• Conduct and participate in design reviews and proactively raise concerns and develop solutions to problems
• Evaluate data from test rigs, pilot, and production equipment to determine overall performance, reliability, and safety
• Oversee and review the work of Junior Engineers and Designers
• Ability to travel less than 10% of the time to support offsite activities

• At least 10 years of progressive responsibility designing, modifying, and upgrading custom industrial equipment
• Proficiency in 2D/3D CAD software with Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD strongly preferred
• Experience designing equipment for steam use, chemical process equipment, or HVAC equipment
• Experience with engineering design and manufacturing tools including Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams, Process Flow Diagrams, Bill of Materials Generation, and Engineering Change Orders
• Experience working with remote teams
• Effective verbal and written communication skills necessary to deliver detailed technical presentations in support of engineering reviews

• Experience working with or for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction companies
• Experience working in the carbon capture space
• Experience building first‑of‑a‑kind process equipment
• Startup experience and ability to work on cross‑functional teams

• Ability to communicate technical knowledge in a clear and understandable manner
• Ability to shift tasks and projects quickly depending on changing company goals and direction
• Ability and experience to run Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations and analyze test data
• Ability to write clear and comprehensive technical documentation including machine Standard Operating Procedures, Bill of Materials, and technical engineering drawings
• Solid understanding of core concepts including fluid dynamics, mechanics, thermodynamics, and materials science, with working knowledge designing equipment within these…