Research Scientist Intern

Heirloom Carbon • Brisbane, CA

9h

About The Position

We are seeking a Research Science Intern to join Heirloom’s Innovation Team for the upcoming Summer for a 12–16 week internship. In this role, you will investigate how process-derived conditions influence key performance drivers in high-temperature gas-solid systems such as reaction efficiency, materials stability, impurity behavior, and overall process performance in a direct air capture (DAC) regeneration environment. This is an opportunity for someone who wants hands-on ownership, exposure to research in an industry setting, and experience working in a fast-paced climate tech startup.

Requirements

• Strong foundation in gas–solid reaction engineering, high-temperature materials, or related experimental research areas
• Knowledge of solid characterization methods (TGA, XRD, SEM, BET, ICP-OES/MS, XRF) and ability to interpret results in the context of process performance
• Comfortable working hands-on in laboratory and pilot-scale environments, including reactor operation, sample preparation, and troubleshooting experimental setups
• Ability to design structured experiments, identify key variables, and extract meaningful trends from complex datasets
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to connect experimental observations to underlying mechanisms

Nice To Haves

• Experience with calcination, cement/lime processing, combustion systems, or carbon capture technologies
• Familiarity with sulfur and carbonate chemistries, deposition or fouling behavior, or impurity-driven degradation mechanisms in high-temperature systems
• Background in reaction kinetics, thermochemistry, or process modeling
• Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for data analysis, visualization, or automation of experimental workflows

Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments using lab-scale reactors, TGA, and pilot equipment
• Analyze gas–solid reaction data to extract kinetic trends, operational limits, and performance drivers
• Help define experimentally grounded metrics relevant to techno-economic analysis and process modeling
• Evaluate effects of operating conditions, impurities, and refractory or system interactions on materials performance and durability
• Investigate how variations in gas composition, temperature profiles, and solids handling influence calcination, carbonation, and related high-temperature processes
• Collaborate with lab technicians, scientists and engineers
• Document findings and present technical conclusions to the innovation team

Benefits

• Excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by Heirloom. FSA option.
• 16 weeks paid parental leave for all Heirloom employees.
• Generous stock options.
• Unlimited PTO for exempt (salaried) employees & 120 hours for full time non-exempt (hourly) employees.
• 401(k).
• Monthly health and wellness reimbursement.
• Annual education and conference budget.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed