Principal Development Engineer

Principal Development Engineer

Climeworks

Zürich, Switzerland

Your mission

Job description

• Strategic Technology Leadership: You lead the development of next-generation CO₂ collector system architectures, integrating sorbent and process requirements into scalable, manufacturable solutions;
• Advanced Prototyping & Validation: You drive the prototyping and testing of novel collector concepts and subsystems, overseeing the full lifecycle from ideation to final validation. You design and lead complex experimental campaigns to de-risk technologies and accelerate development timelines;
• Cross-Functional Influence: You act as a key interface between sorbent science, process engineering, mechanical design, and industrialisation. You ensure seamless integration of material and process properties into mechanical systems, and you champion cross-functional collaboration to scale technologies from lab to industrial deployment;
• Innovation & IP Strategy: You monitor industry trends and emerging technologies, identifying opportunities for differentiation. You actively contribute to Climeworks’ intellectual property portfolio and help shape our innovation strategy;
• Mentorship & Technical Excellence: You mentor senior and junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, creativity, and continuous learning. You set engineering standards and ensure best practices in design, prototyping, and documentation;
• Stakeholder Engagement & Program Leadership: You lead strategic initiatives and cross-functional programs, managing technical and non-technical risks, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring delivery against ambitious goals. You document key learnings and failures to continuously improve innovation cycles.

Your story

Requirements

• Expertise & Education: You hold an advanced degree (PhD or Master’s) in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field. You bring 10+ years of experience in developing complex industrial equipment, ideally involving steam, vacuum, and thermal systems;
• Innovation Track Record: You have a proven history of leading innovation in hardware development, from lab-scale prototypes to industrial-scale systems. You thrive in ambiguity and excel at solving complex engineering challenges with creativity and rigor;
• Technical Mastery: You are deeply knowledgeable in design-for-manufacture, industrialisation, and scaling of hardware systems. You are proficient in CAD tools (preferably SolidWorks) and have experience with sorbents, adsorption/desorption processes, or thermal separation technologies;
• Leadership & Collaboration: You are a trusted technical leader who inspires teams and drives alignment across disciplines. You communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to everything you do.