Process Development Engineer

Company Description

Astracite is a climate-tech startup pioneering molten-salt electrochemical technologies to produce graphite-silicon composites for lithium-ion battery applications and recycle material from end-of-life batteries. Our material will be high-performing, produced at lower cost than conventional material, carbon-negative, and made in Europe - Green Graphite for Better Batteries! In this way, we combat climate change and provide critical raw materials for the establishment of a European battery value chain and European sovereignty.

We are scaling our proprietary molten-salt electrochemical technology from lab to pilot scale and are looking for a hands-on Process Development Engineer to help develop and scale our post‑processing operations.

Role Overview

As Process Development Engineer, you will own the development and scale‑up of all downstream steps after Astracite’s electrochemical deposition process. Your focus will be on developing, optimizing, designing, and scaling leaching, spheroidization, and related unit operations, and on translating lab concepts into robust, safe, and cost‑effective industrial processes. You will spend a significant portion of your time designing and executing lab‑scale studies to understand process behavior, generate design data, and support equipment selection. You will work closely with internal R&D, operations, and external equipment suppliers to bring new equipment from concept, through vendor trials, to installation and commissioning at Astracite.

This position is ideal for candidates with a Master’s or PhD degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry or a related field, preferably with practical lab experience. Experience in electrochemistry, high-temperature processes, and/or (electro)chemical process modelling is a strong advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and scale post‑processing unit operations (with emphasis on leaching and spheroidization) for Astracite’s electrochemically produced materials.
• Design, plan, and execute lab‑scale experiments to screen process conditions, study kinetics, and evaluate different chemistries and operating strategies.
• Scale promising concepts from lab to pilot scale, including mass/energy balance calculations and the definition of critical process parameters and operating windows.
• Translate product and quality requirements (particle size distribution, morphology, purity, residuals, etc.) into process specifications and operating windows.
• Interface with equipment manufacturers to evaluate technologies, define technical specifications, and support equipment selection and sizing for leaching, solid‑liquid separation, drying, spheroidization, and auxiliary systems.
• Plan, supervise, and interpret trials at vendor sites, including test protocols, sampling plans, and data analysis, to de‑risk equipment decisions.
• Support factory acceptance tests (FAT), site acceptance tests (SAT), installation, commissioning, and start‑up of new post‑processing equipment at Astracite.
• Work hands‑on on pilot lines, including test execution, troubleshooting, and incremental process improvements.
• Collaborate with R&D on new material concepts to ensure downstream processes and equipment can meet performance and cost targets.
• Provide technical input for CAPEX/OPEX estimates and techno‑economic evaluations of process options.

Qualifications, Experience, Skills, and Attributes

• MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry or related.
• 2+ years hands-on experience in process development or scale-up in a relevant industry (chemicals, battery materials, minerals, powders, hydrometallurgy, or similar).
• Solid understanding of unit operations such as leaching, solid‑liquid separation, washing, drying, milling, and particle shaping/spheroidization.
• Experience with scaling processes from lab to pilot and/or industrial scale, including experimental design, data analysis, and basic process modelling or calculations.
• Experience with (electro)chemical process modelling is a strong plus.
• Comfortable working with equipment suppliers: writing specifications, discussing process guarantees, reviewing designs, and participating in tests at supplier sites.
• Familiarity with materials characterization techniques (e.g., SEM, ICP, etc.).
• Fluent in written and spoken English.
• Skilled in using Microsoft Office tools, particularly Word and Excel, on Windows platforms.
• Strong attention to detail and willingness to learn.
• Good communication skills and ability to work in a startup environment.

What We Offer

• A unique opportunity to join as one of our first employees, shape the future of breakthrough climate technologies, and grow with the company.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge climate technology.
• Hands-on experience with novel electrochemical systems.
• A collaborative and mission-driven team.