Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Software Engineer
at Heirloom
🏢 About Heirloom
Heirloom is a climate tech company pioneering direct air capture (DAC) technology that uses natural minerals to remove CO2 from the atmosphere permanently. Unlike many carbon removal startups, Heirloom focuses on leveraging abundant, low-cost materials and scaling through automation and software. Working here means contributing directly to their mission of removing 1 billion tons of CO2 by 2035, combining cutting-edge software with tangible climate impact.
About This Role
This Senior Software Engineer role involves building and maintaining software systems that support carbon removal operations at scale, specifically for DAC facilities and R&D activities. You'll design systems that integrate with hardware/industrial applications, ensuring reliability, automation, and continuous improvement to optimize carbon capture efficiency. Your work directly enables Heirloom to scale its technology and achieve its ambitious climate goals.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day involves collaborating with hardware engineers and R&D teams to design software systems for DAC facilities, writing and testing Golang code for data integration via messaging systems like NATS, and debugging production issues to ensure reliable carbon capture operations. You might also automate deployment pipelines, monitor system performance, and contribute to scaling software that supports Heirloom's climate goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Heirloom Is Looking For
- Has 6-8+ years of software engineering experience with a background in computer science or engineering, specifically developing software for hardware or industrial applications (e.g., IoT, manufacturing, robotics).
- Is proficient in Golang, Linux/Unix, Git, messaging systems like NATS/MQTT/Kafka, and SQL, with hands-on experience in full-cycle development from design to production deployment and monitoring.
- Demonstrates a passion for climate tech and sustainability, with an interest in applying software engineering to solve real-world environmental challenges.
- Thrives in building maintainable, automated systems that support long-term scalability, as evidenced by past projects involving integration, debugging, and continuous improvement.
📝 Tips for Applying to Heirloom
Tailor your resume to highlight specific projects where you developed software for hardware/industrial applications, emphasizing your role in design, testing, deployment, and monitoring.
Explicitly mention your experience with Golang, Linux/Unix, and messaging systems (NATS, MQTT, or Kafka) in your application, as these are required tech stack items.
Research Heirloom's DAC technology and mention in your cover letter how your software engineering skills can contribute to scaling carbon removal operations.
Prepare examples of how you've applied automation and continuous improvement principles in past roles, as this is key to the job description.
If you have open-source contributions or projects related to climate tech, IoT, or industrial software, include links to demonstrate your passion and expertise.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain why you're passionate about Heirloom's mission of carbon removal and how your software engineering experience aligns with scaling DAC technology.", 'Highlight specific examples of developing software for hardware/industrial applications, detailing your contributions to design, debugging, and production deployment.', "Discuss your proficiency with the required tech stack (Golang, Linux/Unix, messaging systems, SQL) and how you've used it to build reliable, maintainable systems.", "Emphasize your experience in automation and continuous improvement, linking it to Heirloom's need for efficient, scalable software systems."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Study Heirloom's DAC technology and their partnerships (e.g., with CarbonCure, Microsoft) to understand how software supports their carbon removal process.
- → Review Heirloom's blog, press releases, and technical papers to grasp their scaling challenges and software needs for R&D and facilities.
- → Explore the carbon removal industry and competitors (e.g., Climeworks, Carbon Engineering) to contextualize Heirloom's unique approach and mission.
- → Look into Heirloom's team and culture through LinkedIn or tech forums to align your application with their values and work style.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic resume without highlighting experience in hardware/industrial software development or the required tech stack (Golang, messaging systems, etc.).
- Failing to demonstrate knowledge of Heirloom's mission or how software engineering applies to carbon removal, which may suggest lack of genuine interest.
- Overemphasizing web or consumer software experience without connecting it to the industrial, automation-focused needs of this role.
📅 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!