Chemical Engineer

About HutanBio: HutanBio is developing large-scale algae cultivation technology for the sustainable production of low-carbon fuels and chemicals. This role forms part of a broad and varied R&D and scale-up programme and will provide exposure to both upstream algal cultivation and downstream processing. The successful candidate will work alongside experienced engineers, scientists, technology providers and external partners to help convert experimental results and engineering concepts into practical, scalable process solutions.

Job Specification

Role: Chemical Engineer (graduate)

Department: Engineering & Technology

Location: Cambridge, UK with travel to Malaysia & Middle Eastern countries as required

Role Summary The Graduate Chemical Engineer will support the scale-up of the HutanBio technology platform from pilot systems through to a one-hectare demonstration plant. The successful candidate will help develop process design inputs, equipment requirements, mass and energy balances, process assumptions and technical documentation.

The role is intended for a recent graduate seeking broad practical experience in process development, pilot operations and technology scale-up. Guidance and development will be provided with gradual transition to ownership of defined technical work packages.

The position would suit someone who is curious, practical and comfortable working across several technical areas rather than within a narrowly defined discipline.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support across key process areas including algal dewatering, algal pre-treatment and cell preparation, drying methods, lipid extraction, lipid clarification, and gas management.
• Support technology scoping and evaluation across these unit operations, including assessment of suitability, integration, scalability, and HSE considerations.
• Develop equipment duty specifications and process requirements to support engineering design, partner engagement, and technology selection.
• Produce and maintain mass, heat, and energy balances to inform process definition, scale-up, and design decisions.
• Support Front-End Loading (FEL) and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) activities for the 1-hectare demonstration deployment, including design basis documentation and interface management.
• Contribute to cost modelling and techno-economic analysis, including identification of key cost drivers, operating assumptions, and improvement opportunities.
• Support LCA development and environmental assessment by providing process data, assumptions, and engineering input relevant to emissions, energy use, and material flows.
• Support R&D activities by translating experimental outputs into engineering inputs, design assumptions, and scale-up requirements.

Requirements and Skills

Education Degree-qualified in an engineering discipline; process, chemical, bioprocessing, biotechnology (Chemical Engineering desirable).

Professional Development Working towards (or willing to work towards) chartership (IChemE, IET, etc) desirable.

Experience Relevant industrial placements, internships, university design projects, laboratory work, pilot-plant experience or research projects would be advantageous.

Experience working on a group process-design project or completing mass and energy balances as part of a university course is desirable.

Exposure to biotechnology, biofuels, renewable energy, food processing, water treatment, oil extraction or other process industries would be beneficial but is not essential.

Communication Able to communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders; comfortable working with teams across time zones and cultures; able to write concise, well-structured technical notes and reports.

Safety Strong awareness of the importance of health, safety and environmental management within laboratory, pilot and industrial environments.

Willing to follow and contribute to safe systems of work, standard operating procedures, risk assessments and COSHH assessments.

Familiarity with flammable solvents.

Practical skills Comfortable working with process data, developing mass/energy balances, drafting duty specs, engaging vendors, and supporting pilot operations; advanced excel capabilities (or equivalent) for calculations, data analysis, and cost modelling; familiarity with PFD/P&ID and design basis documentation.

- Experience using Aspen, SuperPro, or ChemCAD would be advantageous.

Curious and analytical approach to engineering problems. Able to break complex problems into manageable calculations, assumptions and actions.

Willing to investigate process and equipment issues using data, observation and first-principles thinking.

Able to document findings clearly and identify where further information or specialist input is required.

Comfortable working on problems where the final solution may not yet be known.