Technical Co-Founder in Residence (Process Engineer), Methane Abatement

Join as a Founder in Residence in Climate

We're on the lookout for entrepreneurial individuals with technical and commercial domain expertise with keen interest in founding, and building a global scale, impact driven, high growth company from ground up.

We are seeking applications from experienced industry, startup and/or new science or engineering based technology development professionals from anywhere in the world to work with us on a novel technology that uses microbes to convert methane emissions into valuable products such as protein, biofertilizer, and bioplastics..

You’ll work closely with the DSV team and the current Founder in Residence for this area to co-found and spin-out a new company. Once the new venture is incorporated with pre-seed investment from DSV, you and your co-founders will own the majority stake in the business and continue receiving support from the DSV team post-spinout. 

The role is full-time, remote initially until venture incorporation and spin-out - anticipating offices and lab space based on the East Coast of the United States.

The Opportunity

Atmospheric methane is responsible for >30% of the warming we are experiencing today, and levels are rising rapidly. Our company will turn the tide of methane emissions, decreasing peak temperatures in the process. We do this by targeting methane streams originating from methanogenic bacteria and deriving value from them, instead of letting them escape to ever-increasingly accelerate climate change.

Our Approach

We are targeting the “long tail” of methane emissions from biogas streams that are too small for conventional uses, such as renewable natural gas, but still have enough energy from which to derive substantial value. We are developing a small scale, modular, and robust bioreactor that can be readily deployed in multiple settings. The bioreactor itself will contain a microbial consortium that converts methane from biogas flows into high-value products. This will enable us to target methane emissions that currently have no economically viable solution, and to build a scalable and successful enterprise.

We are looking for a technically-minded co-founder who will:

• Lead development of a bioreactor system that uses biogas and microbial consortia to produce valuable outputs;
• Work closely with a microbiologist to align bioreactor features with target growth conditions;
• Serve as an enthusiastic contributing leader across multiple facets of venture building including customer development, team building, securing investment, and strategic positioning.

Requirements

Who Should Apply

Most suitable candidates will likely multiple  of the following criteria:

• PhD or equivalent industry R&D know-how focused on bioprocess engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field specifically with designing and scaling bioreactor systems for microbial cultivation, particularly for gas-fed systems like methane; 
• In-depth knowledge of current approaches and state-of-the-art (SOTA) technologies, and constraints in one or more of the following areas: 
• the requirements for cultivating methanotrophic bacteria, algae, or other microbes under different conditions (aerobic/anaerobic, batch/continuous); 
• gas-liquid mass transfer, bubble dynamics, mixing, and agitation to ensure optimal contact between methane and microbial cultures; 
• sensors, controllers, and automated systems for monitoring and regulating temperature, pH, dissolved gases, and other critical parameters in real-time;
• various fermentation types (batch, fed-batch, continuous) and their impact on microbial growth and productivity;
• optimizing fermentation conditions for yield, quality, and consistency of the end product (protein, plastics, or fertilizer); 
• Industry-specific know-how and commercial knowledge (e.g. forming strategic partnerships, manufacturing, procurement, etc.)
• Experience in building and scaling new technologies from concept to demonstration in one or more of the following areas: 
• Simplifying complex systems to make them more robust and reliable, while minimizing performance losses;
• designing and fabricating custom bioreactors, from lab-scale prototypes to pilot-scale systems, using various materials (e.g., stainless steel, glass, polymers);
• designing bioreactors for microbial or algal systems, particularly for methane or gas-utilizing processes;
• integrating pumps, gas supply lines, aeration/mixing systems, and nutrient delivery modules, ensuring a seamless and efficient bioreactor system;
• using computer-aided design (CAD) tools and other software for creating detailed bioreactor schematics;
• prototyping, assembling, and testing new bioreactor designs, iterating based on experimental data;
• understanding of materials compatibility, particularly for handling gases like methane or corrosive compounds in fermentation;
• Experience in raising funds from early stage investors/VC;
• Experience in working in a leadership role, applying project management and collaborative skills with colleagues across different teams; 
• Exceptional command of English, with proficiency in additional languages considered a plus;
• Flexibility and willingness to eventually work in-person in a major metropolitan area on the East Coast of the United States.

Benefits

Our Offer

By joining DSV, you will be part of a team of operators who have founded companies and led the translation of science at some of the most respected universities, charities, funds, and government agencies. Here’s what we offer:

• Access to optimised, purpose-built, proprietary tools, resources, and processes to help create high-impact ventures from scratch;
• Opportunity area-specific know-how from our network of Partners and Advisors;
• Up to £250k in investment to incorporate the new venture and develop early proof-of-concept data;
• Guaranteed income of £4,166 per month paid as a consultancy fee until the company is launched and the pre-seed investment is secured;
• Majority equity stake in the new company for you and your co-founders;
• Continuous post-spinout support, including fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, and team-building;
• Collaborative support from dozens of Founders currently at DSV across sectors.

About DSV

Deep Science Ventures (DSV) is on a mission to create a future in which both humans and the planet can thrive. We use our unique venture creation process to create, spin-out, and invest in science companies, combining available scientific knowledge and founder-type scientists into high-impact ventures. Operating in four sectors—Pharmaceuticals, Climate, Agriculture, and Computation—we tackle the challenges defining these areas by taking a first principles approach and partnering with leading institutions.