Mechatronics Engineer

Location

Burlington, MA | United States

Job description

WHO WE ARE:

Demand for critical minerals to power the energy transition is growing exponentially. Yet, we know mining deeper and broader, and building landfills higher and wider, works against our fight to save the planet. At Nth Cycle, we see the path forward. We believe the critical minerals needed for the energy transition are already in circulation today. We just didn’t have a clean, profitable way of retrieving them, until now.

Nth Cycle is a metal refining technology company. Our Electro-Extraction technology helps recyclers and mines capture more critical minerals-for use in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, among other things-while dramatically reducing costs and emissions. We are the heart of metals processing; we are the crucial step that profitably separates critical minerals from other elements, transforming them into production-grade feedstocks for the energy transition.

OUR CULTURE:

You won’t find another team like ours. We believe in open, honest communication, and enjoying our work while changing the world. We work quickly but with intention-we’ve scaled our technology in size 100x in the past year. We’re mission-oriented and think big-we’re focused on reducing gigatons of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere by 2050, and we value the perspectives and opinions of our colleagues while pushing each other to excel.

We’re a dynamic team looking for a new team member who’s also passionate about addressing climate change and advancing the clean energy industry. Consistent with our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we value colleagues with the ability to work on diverse teams and with a diverse range of people.

WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE OFFER:

• Greater Boston Area.
• Full-time position.
• Eligible for Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits where Nth Cycle pays 100% of the premiums.
• Short and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance and AD&D.
• Paid time off, 13 company holidays, and a Holiday Break at the end of the year.

Position description:

This position joins Nth Cycle’s Design Team and will focus on building and automation of laboratory scale equipment to guide the development of Nth Cycle’s electro-extraction technology for critical mineral recovery. Working with engineers, scientists, and project management, you will automate test rigs with a keen eye for efficacy, budget, and schedule. Safety threads through every decision you make, especially when designing systems that use hazardous chemicals, high-current electricity, and flammable gases. You know things don’t always work the first time, but your troubleshooting tenacity and humbleness keeps your project moving forward. Your motivation to deliver will have you engaging outside consultants or suppliers, while acting as delegating leader and mentor to internal staff. You’re familiar with researching and implementing solutions that may be outside your comfort zone including multi-phase fluid transport & control, in situ gas & chemical analysis, material chemical compatibility, or intrinsically safe and explosion proof industrial electronics. Clear communication with engineers and scientists keep your decisions transparent and informed, while feeding forward your learnings that improve commercial scale development. You are data driven and organized with thorough documentation to maintain Nth Cycle’s posture as a learning organization. Additional responsibilities may include interacting with large EPC organizations to inform commercial scale design and operation of instruments, automated components, troubleshooting, or logic development.

As a team member, a leader, and technical contributor you will shine at Nth Cycle along with our friendly, humble, passionate, intelligent, and capable team!

Key responsibilities and accountabilities.

• Design, develop, fabricate, and commission chemical processing test equipment and instrumentation from concept through optimization.
• Demonstrate safety leadership particularly with chemical operations (gas generation, pressure vessels, exothermic reactions, corrosive materials, etc.)
• Manage small to medium scale capital projects for delivering needed results within budget and schedule.
• Establish best practices for controls and automation of a chemical laboratory test rig.
• Troubleshoot issues safely and efficiently.
• Manage and mentor a small team of engineers and/or technicians.
• Lead or participate in safety reviews such as PHA, HAZOP, which includes providing technical assistance with corrosive material concerns, cross contamination of chemicals, etc.
• Assist in implementing environmental improvement initiatives particularly with respect to emissions, pollutants identification, effluent control, neutralization of caustics/acids, etc.
• Establish and defend use of hardware control integration ecosystems.
• Specify appropriate control elements, instrumentation, and electrical power equipment. 
• Manage equipment vendors, including external field engineers. 
• Translate P&IDs and PFDs into equipment purchase lists.
• Translate engineering flow charts and functional specifications into logic and code.
• Develop, commission, and optimize PID control loops.
• Develop UI and UX with input from engineers, scientists, and lab technicians.

Qualifications and experience.

Qualified candidates will possess a strong combination of the following:

• BS in Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering. MS a plus.
• 5-10 years of experience in a related environment
• Demonstrated experience automating fluidic systems.
• Basic working knowledge of building electrical codes. 
• Flexible thinking especially while problem solving.
• Strong verbal and written/digital communication skills.
• Attention to detail, deadline and budget aware.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical skills in general engineering assessment and problem solving. 

Ideal candidates will possess some or all of the following:

• Experience with 240-480 VAC & high-current DC power supplies. 
• Experience with Class 1/Div 1 design specifications.
• Experience conducting work in an active chemical lab.
• Familiarity with chemical process automation and scale up.
• Automation software certificates or training, e.g. Rockwell Logix, Labview/NI related.
• Experience with standard communication protocols, e.g. Ethernet/IP, Modbus, CAN, etc.

Nth Cycle does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Closing Statement.

Consistent with our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we value people with the ability to work on diverse teams and with a diverse range of people. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people, veterans, and people with disabilities.

We know the right candidate might not check every box in this job description. You could also have important skills we haven't thought of. If you think you’re a great candidate for this role, apply and tell us why. To apply, send us a resume and a few sentences about why you are interested in this position and what you bring to the table. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Contact: Pat Perillo, Human Resources, Nth Cycle

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 978-764-8504

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Salary