Would you like to have a hand in removing billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and locking it away permanently, safely and cheaply? Are you a builder, a tinkerer, a human Swiss army knife with a passion for reversing climate change?

Aquarry is a pre-seed stage startup working to convert mine pit lakes into massive carbon sinks. After closure, open pit mines will passively fill with groundwater, creating a pit lake. Water quality is often poor, and without treatment these systems pose a threat to communities and wildlife. More recently-formed pit lakes do get treated in places where environmental laws are enforced, but at a cost and with few beneficial end uses. We’ll use these degraded water bodies to capture up to tens of millions of tons of CO2 per site—as beneficial an end use as there’s ever been. With thousands of sites globally the potential impact is huge.

Our process is a hybrid of two emerging carbon dioxide removal techniques, enhanced rock weathering and ocean alkalinity enhancement, maintaining the best aspects of both while solving their challenges. The result is inexpensive, measurable, permanent, and scalable carbon storage.

We’re seeking a scrappy, highly motivated laboratory scientist to work closely with the CTO, ultimately taking on responsibility for our lab-scale testing program. The ideal candidate has a broad range of experience, knows how to work efficiently, and is comfortable learning new things independently. As our first hire, you’ll help to shape the direction of the business, establish a positive and inclusive culture, and will be well positioned for a leadership role as we grow.

Responsibilities:

• Work with the CTO to build and conduct laboratory experiments to test the efficiency and efficacy of the Aquarry process
• Establish standard protocols for carbonation and leaching testing
• Safely prepare and handle liquid and solid samples for analysis
• Operate laboratory equipment and instruments, including standard wet chemistry experiments, electrode sensors, and data acquisition systems
• Record and analyze data, and assist in the interpretation of experimental findings
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the laboratory
• Collaborate with the founding team to troubleshoot issues and optimize laboratory procedures

You have:

• A graduate-level degree in the geosciences (geochemistry, geology, hydrology) or engineering (mechanical, materials, chemical, civil, environmental) and 2+ years non-academic experience in startups or industrial R&D

  or

  An undergraduate degree and 3+ years experience

• Familiarity with analytical instruments and equipment commonly used in environmental testing (e.g., ICP-MS, XRD, whole rock analysis, chromatography), the ability to discern which are useful when

• Basic data analysis and programming or scripting skills (e.g., Python or R)

• The right to work in the US for at least the next 2 years

• A problem-solving mindset and a “get it done” attitude

And even better if you:

• Are familiar with geochemical and hydrologic modeling software (e.g., PHREEQC, Geochemists’ Workbench, CE-QUALW2, PITLAKQ