Mechanical Engineer Intern

About Charm

Our mission is to reverse climate change and return the atmosphere to 280 ppm CO₂, profitably. We convert waste biomass into carbon-rich bio-oil and inject it into permanent, underground storage as carbon removal, or reform the bio-oil to produce syngas for fossil-free steel.

Our carbon removal pathway took off in 2020 with initial purchases from customers like Stripe, Shopify & Microsoft. In 2021 and 2022 we delivered thousands of tons of carbon removal via off-the-shelf pathways, and also deployed our first R&D prototype pyrolyzer of our own. In the next 18 months, we'll build and deploy the next pyrolyzer revision, demonstrate our fossil-free ironmaking pilot, substantially expand our operations in Colorado and put thousands of tonnes of CO₂e underground.

We're looking to expand our team of ambitious creative and hands-on engineers, fabricators, operators, and forward-thinking humans. We value psychological safety and collaboration. We take calculated risks and don't sweep mistakes under the rug; instead, we pin them to the wall and learn from them. We value that everyone’s unique backgrounds and perspectives shape their work. We encourage you to read our company values.

Come help us reverse climate change. Gigatons or bust!

• We’re looking for a hands-on mechanical engineering intern who is eager to join the team designing and operating pyrolyzers, the machine that forms the backbone of Charm Industrial’s operations and mission. 
• This role will work closely with a cross-functional team to iteratively improve the pyrolyzer design and operations.  The intern will design, rapidly prototype, and test new subsystems and test fixtures. They will collaborate closely with the operations team to identify and solve key blockers to improve production.
• The position is a 10- to 12-week on-site role in Fort Lupton, CO

• You’ll be prototyping and iterating on Charm pyrolyzers; both those in operation and those in R&D. You will own design projects on the pyrolyzers and work on all aspects of the hardware to bring it to fruition (sourcing components, using contract manufacturers, installation, etc.)
• You’ll work with a team to operate the pyrolyzer in production and test conditions and determine how well your designs met the success criteria. You’ll continuously improve your designs until the success criteria is met and the equipment works flawlessly in operations.  
• You’ll work alongside a cross-functional team, where you’ll need additional help to get your work to completion and vice versa.  You’re always willing to help out and lend a hand for the betterment of the team.

• Hands-on experience, including rapid prototyping and creative thinking to answer critical design questions. Familiarity with basic fabrication techniques.
• Solid understanding of mechanical engineering first principles and safety-forward design.
• CAD experience, preferably SolidWorks.
• Team and growth oriented mindset. You’ll rapidly learn new interdisciplinary concepts and methods and implement them with a multidisciplinary team.
• Resourcefulness to problem solving.  You’re constantly balancing cost, timeline and impact when making decisions on what to do next.
• A self-directed mentality.  You can find out where you can add the most value to your team and the organization.
• An excitement for scaling up hardware that has the potential to positively impact climate change!

What We Offer

· Healthy snacks and lunches

· A sweet workplace with lots of space inside and out

· A chance to pivot into a role in climate! (this internship could lead to a future career opportunity at Charm, but we cannot guarantee employment beyond the internship program)

Visa Sponsorship Policy

Since we are a small startup, certain accommodations for visa sponsorship may not be within our capability. At this time, Charm Industrial is only sponsoring E3 and TN visas.

Our Commitment

Charm Industrial is an equal opportunity employer with a firm commitment to growing our team in an inclusive way, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, medical condition, age, or veteran status. The consequences of climate change inherently affect some more than others, and we need a diverse team to help us save our little planet most effectively & justly. We are excited about all of those who choose to apply, and for those who end up joining us, to see how you better us as a team and company. We are more than the sum of our parts.