HQ Location: Houston, TX (Remote: NO; Travel: NO)

Compensation: $60,000 + equity

About Mars Materials

Mars Materials (“Mars”) is on a mission to reverse humanity’s industrial carbon footprint. We’re currently commercializing National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”) developed Intellectual Property that enables us to produce carbon negative acrylonitrile (AN) using captured CO2 and bio-based feedstocks. AN is a commodity material that’s integral in our daily modern lives. AN’s high-tech use as a precursor for carbon fiber will allow Mars to achieve our vision of decarbonizing current carbon-intensive industries such as steel and aluminum production.

Mars was chartered as a public benefit corporation in 2021 by a group of passionate climate technologists with backgrounds in chemical engineering, research, and cleantech commercialization. Mars is working to create a future where using our technologies is a cheaper alternative to today’s standard CO2-generating processes.

Our business centers on greenhouse gas removal. Whether that’s CH4 or CO2, the Mars team develops and markets technology solutions that enable gigaton-scale greenhouse gas utilization. Currently, process economics are unfavorable for carbon-negative processes, but attitudes and incentives are beginning to shift to a favorable direction for CO2 utilization. Now is the time to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Mars has the technology to kickstart this transition. Today, we’re seeking new team members to help us rapidly scale up our CO2-to-Acrylonitrile process.

About the role

As a Process Technician, you’ll play a pivotal role in supporting the continuous operations of Mars’ Pilot unit to meet its production goals. You’ll report directly to the CTO.

Specific duties you’ll champion:

• Maintenance/Repairs
  • Maintaining the operability of process equipment, including inspecting and repairing pumps, heat exchangers, and instrumentation (control valves, temperature/pressure/level transmitters)
  • Following SOPs to safely shutdown and prepare the unit for mechanical work
  • Plumbing and/or fabricating small systems as needed to maintain operations
• Commissioning
  • Support engineering team in the startup and demonstration of existing, new or modified plants
  • Conduct routine functionality tests of process equipment including pressure, heat, controls and electrical testing
• Equipment Troubleshooting
  • Diagnosing process upsets and equipment failures and working with the engineering team to come up with solutions
  • Monitor process data with the goal of resolving technical issues to reduce unit downtime
  • Interpreting equipment manuals and conducting hands-on testing of machinery to achieve optimal performance
• Safety
  • Adhering to Mars Safety Standards and leading safety discussions in the lab
  • Ensuring the unit is tidy, clean and safe

About You

If you have a HS diploma or greater with one to three (1 - 3) years working in manufacturing as a technician,  and you are passionate about developing carbon-free industrial processes, we’re interested in hearing from you.

Additional experiences that’ll propel your success:

• You’re a builder with demonstrated ability:
  • Critical thinking to assess a situation, identify causes, and suggest viable solutions
  • Working hands-on with machinery and instrumentation
  • Following safety protocols, even when there may be a faster or easier way
• You’re self-starter with demonstrated ability:
  • Striving to find efficiencies to improve process performance
  • Paying attention to detail to identify slight differences in processes
  • Making recommendations based on observations
• You’re adaptable with demonstrated ability:
  • Working in a collaborative, consensus-driven team environment
  • Communicating clearly to convey important process information
  • Pivoting based on evolving project needs
• You’re passionate about tackling the climate crisis

Physical requirements

The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.  Must be able to remain in a stationary position up to 50% of the time. Capable of moving equipment weighing up to 150 pounds within the lab.

Why Join Us?

We’re a small team with absolute respect for each other and our differences. Currently, we’re recruiting team members committed to helping us grow our values and further promote diversity, equity and inclusion. If our mission excites you, we invite you to explore opportunities with us. No matter your gender, gender identity, race, age, beliefs, sexual orientation, or disabilities, if you have a passion for saving our planet and tackling big problems then we'd love to have you on the team.