Application Guide

How to Apply for Development Specialist Adsorption (80-100%)

at Climeworks

🏢 About Climeworks

Climeworks is a pioneering direct air capture company that removes CO₂ from the atmosphere using innovative technology. They combine climate action with business pragmatism, operating at the intersection of environmental impact and economic value creation. Working here means contributing to scalable climate solutions while being part of a dynamic scale-up culture that embraces responsible risk-taking.

About This Role

As a Development Specialist for Adsorption, you'll be advancing Climeworks' core CO₂ capture technology through research, testing, and optimization of adsorption materials and processes. This role directly impacts the efficiency and scalability of their climate solutions, making it crucial for achieving their mission of large-scale carbon removal. You'll work on turning ambitious technical goals into practical, deployable systems.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day involves designing and analyzing adsorption experiments, collaborating with cross-functional teams on material optimization, and troubleshooting technical challenges in CO₂ capture systems. You'll balance hands-on lab work with data analysis and strategic planning to advance both immediate technical goals and long-term scalability objectives.

🚀 Application Tools

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🎯 Who Climeworks Is Looking For

  • Has a background in chemical engineering, materials science, or related fields with specific expertise in adsorption processes and materials
  • Demonstrates entrepreneurial spirit and comfort with ambiguity in a fast-paced scale-up environment
  • Shows proven ability to translate ambitious climate goals into practical technical solutions while considering business realities
  • Thrives on collaboration and learning from setbacks, with a track record of taking ownership of complex technical challenges

📝 Tips for Applying to Climeworks

1

Explicitly connect your adsorption experience to climate impact - show how your technical skills serve the mission

2

Demonstrate your comfort with 'responsible risk-taking' by sharing examples where you innovated in uncertain technical environments

3

Highlight experiences where you've turned ambitious goals into reality despite challenges, not just routine technical work

4

Show how you balance climate passion with business pragmatism - Climeworks wants changemakers who understand economic realities

5

Emphasize collaboration and learning from setbacks rather than presenting yourself as a lone expert

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your specific experience with adsorption materials/processes and how it applies to direct air capture technology', "Examples of turning ambitious technical goals into reality despite challenges (demonstrating 'grit')", 'How you balance climate passion with practical business considerations in technical decision-making', 'Your approach to collaboration and learning from setbacks in a dynamic scale-up environment']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Climeworks' specific adsorption-based technology and their different plant designs (Orca, Mammoth, etc.)
  • → Their business model and partnerships (carbon removal credits, corporate clients, government projects)
  • → Recent technical publications or patents from Climeworks related to adsorption processes
  • → Their scale-up challenges and how they're addressing efficiency and cost reduction in direct air capture

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Specific adsorption materials or processes you've worked with and their potential application to CO₂ capture
2 How you've handled technical setbacks and what you learned from them
3 Examples of balancing ambitious climate goals with practical business/engineering constraints
4 Your experience working in fast-paced, ambiguous technical environments
5 How you collaborate across teams to solve complex technical problems
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on climate passion without demonstrating technical adsorption expertise
  • Presenting as a perfectionist who avoids risks - Climeworks values 'responsible risk-taking'
  • Using generic environmental enthusiasm without showing understanding of their specific technology and business model
  • Emphasizing solo achievements over collaboration and team learning

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Climeworks!

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