Chemical Technician
Terraform Industries, Inc.
Chemical Technician
Burbank, California
Can you determine the exact chemical composition of a sample in any form–solid, liquid, gas? Are you the source of knowledge on instrument detectors, columns, and injection methods?
At Terraform Industries, we’ve made cheap synthetic fuels from sunlight and air. We need chemical information, and we need your razor sharp analytical chemistry skills. Your role is to execute with fast turnaround in a clear, legible, systematic form. You will perform analyses, maintain our analytical lab and instruments, maintain records of analyses, produce certificates of analysis, and level-up our analytical breadth and throughput.
Mission
Your mission is to provide accurate chemical information to support the development of our synthetic fuel hardware. Your role will span all teams across the company as you analyze CO2 and CaCO3 samples from our direct air carbon capture team, H2 and O2 samples from the electrolyzer team, and methane and methanol samples from our reactor team. You will be the frontline of chemical information collection and report directly to our chemical engineer.
Responsibilities
- Perform routine wet-chemistry analyses on process samples, including acid–base titrations, density measurements, and volumetric measurements.
- Operate and maintain analytical instrumentation, including gas chromatographs with thermal conductivity detection (TCD and FID) and thermogravimetric analyzers.
- Oversee analytical lab: prepare samples, standards, and reagents; calibrate instruments and run check standards; source analytical standards and reagents needed to perform, calibrate, and validate analyses; maintain chemical inventory; manage waste.
- Develop, document, and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for analytical methods.
- Record, reduce, and report data with clear documentation; maintain sample logs and traceability; flag anomalous results and help troubleshoot the underlying causes.
- Provide guidance on our analytical workflows, suggesting improvements in methodology, instrumentation, and resource allocation; pro-actively identify ways to improve analysis accuracy, throughput, and breadth.
- Produce in-house certificates of analysis.
Qualifications
- B.S. in Chemistry or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated hands-on proficiency with wet-chemistry techniques, including titration, volumetric analysis, and gravimetric/density methods.
- Experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting analytical instrumentation; direct experience with gas chromatography required.
- Good lab technique, ability to follow SOPs, comfortable working with concentrated caustics and compressed/flammable gases under appropriate safety controls.
- A record of clear written and verbal communication; demonstrated ability to explain analytical results and their limitations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Method development or validation experience; familiarity with GMP and QA/QC concepts (control charts, blanks, spikes, duplicates).
- Knowledge of the chemical certification process.
Logistics
Location - Terraform Industries is based in the castle building in Burbank, near Los Angeles, California. Work is 100% onsite, no exceptions.
Travel - Travel (0-20%) to Rosamond, CA, may be required to oversee operations off-site.
Pay range: $120,000 - 135,000 per year, to be determined on a case-by-case basis based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Remuneration/benefits - Terraform Industries is proud to offer a competitive benefits package including: equity, performance-related bonuses, 401k, health, dental, and vision insurance, and a flexible leave policy.
Terraform Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Terraform Industries is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Apply
Email recruiting@terraformindustries.com with a compelling one pager with your best evidence of execution ability. Your application will be prioritized if you also include a one page case study explaining how you analyzed a complex chemical mixture, attaching spectra, chromatograms, and other primary analytical data. In addition to your one pagers, you should include a one page resume of no more than 300 words.