Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior R&D Chemist - Sorbent Innovation Lead (80-100%)
at Climeworks
🏢 About Climeworks
Climeworks is a pioneer in direct air capture technology, operating the world's first commercial carbon removal plant. The company stands out for its mission-driven approach to climate solutions and its proven technology that's already removing CO₂ from the atmosphere at scale. Working here means contributing directly to combating climate change through innovative engineering and science.
About This Role
As Senior R&D Chemist - Sorbent Innovation Lead, you'll spearhead the development of next-generation carbon capture materials that form the core of Climeworks' technology. This role is crucial because improving sorbent efficiency directly impacts the scalability and cost-effectiveness of carbon removal. You'll translate laboratory discoveries into practical solutions that can be deployed in Climeworks' growing network of capture plants.
💡 A Day in the Life
You might start your day reviewing experimental data from overnight sorbent testing, then lead a virtual meeting with laboratory technicians to plan the week's synthesis work. Afternoon could involve collaborating with engineering teams on scale-up challenges, analyzing long-term stability test results, and documenting findings for patent applications or internal reports. The role balances hands-on research direction with strategic planning for next-generation material development.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Climeworks Is Looking For
- A PhD-level chemist or materials scientist with 8+ years of hands-on sorbent development experience, particularly with amine-functionalized or metal-organic framework materials for CO₂ capture
- Someone who has successfully led multi-year R&D projects from initial concept through to pilot-scale implementation in industrial settings
- An innovator with a portfolio of patents or publications in adsorption materials who can balance fundamental research with practical engineering constraints
- A collaborative leader experienced in managing cross-functional teams including engineers, technicians, and business stakeholders in climate tech or related fields
📝 Tips for Applying to Climeworks
Quantify your sorbent development impact: Instead of saying 'improved sorbent performance,' specify 'increased CO₂ adsorption capacity by 30% while reducing regeneration energy by 25% in pilot testing'
Highlight your experience with scale-up challenges specific to carbon capture materials, such as stability testing under real flue gas conditions or managing material costs for commercial viability
Demonstrate knowledge of Climeworks' specific technology by referencing their published work on amine-functionalized sorbents or their Orca/Hinwil plant operations in your application materials
Show how you've managed the full R&D lifecycle by providing examples of projects where you took materials from lab synthesis through characterization, testing, and eventual implementation
Emphasize remote collaboration experience since this is a remote position, particularly experience coordinating laboratory work across different locations or time zones
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your specific experience developing sorbents for direct air capture or similar low-concentration CO₂ capture applications', 'Examples of leading successful R&D projects from concept to implementation in industrial or commercial settings', "How your approach to materials innovation aligns with Climeworks' mission of scalable, cost-effective carbon removal", 'Your experience collaborating across disciplines to solve complex technical challenges in climate technology']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Climeworks' published research papers and patents on their sorbent technology (search for 'Climeworks amine-functionalized sorbents' in scientific databases)
- → The company's specific plant locations and technology deployments (Orca in Iceland, Hinwil in Switzerland) to understand their operational context
- → Recent company announcements about technology milestones or partnerships that might indicate R&D priorities
- → The broader competitive landscape in direct air capture to understand Climeworks' position and technical differentiators
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Presenting only academic research without demonstrating understanding of commercial or industrial implementation challenges
- Failing to show specific experience with adsorption materials or confusing sorbent development with other materials science domains
- Generic project management examples without quantifiable results or clear connection to materials innovation outcomes
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!