Chemical Process Engineer-Evaporation

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Ascend Elements is a fast-growing organization that is revolutionizing the production of lithium-ion battery materials for electric vehicles. Recognized as a climate technology leader, the company elevates the value of recycled elements and engineers sustainable battery materials to support the global clean-energy transition. The company’s patented Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis technology produces new, sustainable cathode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries more efficiently than traditional methods, resulting in improved performance and lower carbon emissions. Ascend Elements is taking sustainability in the lithium-ion battery industry to a higher level.


We are currently hiring a Chemical Process Engineer-Evaporation to join our team! You will be responsible for leading front end engineering projects focused on the chemical conversion of spent EV batteries and battery manufacturing plant waste into high quality battery anode and cathode powders for use in new batteries.


This position will be based out of either Westborough, MA or Hopkinsville, KY. Travel expectations could be up to 50% during peak commissioning times.


Responsibilities include but are not limited to:



  • This position will be the technical leader of a process or utility system from conceptual stage through performance testing. Responsibilities include: leading conceptual studies, creating the equipment technical specification, qualifying and selecting the manufacturing vendor, reviewing and approving the equipment design/build, attending Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), supporting installation, leading commissioning and Site Acceptance Test (SAT), and supporting process optimization.

  • Lead chemical process design with EPC firm or Equipment Manufacturer to effectively design and execute plant mechanical, electrical, piping, and controls systems.

  • Develop process flow, equipment list, equipment layout, utility matrix, and P&IDs for manufacturing processes required for production of new battery raw materials.

  • Work with R&D team to develop effective and efficient scaling strategies to bring new products and processes to pilot and production scale.

  • Support the production plant’s technical staff to meet plant metrics with robust processes and quality systems based on the APQP tool kit.

  • Other duties and responsibilities consistent with the Employees position.


Education and Other Skills:



  • Bachelor’s degree in Chemical or applicable engineering field. Advanced degree a plus.

  • Experience: 5+ years of process engineering experience with chemical or advanced materials technologies, including 3+ years of field experience.

  • Direct experience in battery materials synthesis (precursor cathode material), chemical precipitation reactions, filtration, or evaporation.

  • Knowledge of and hands on experience using APQP tools including FMEA, SPC, and design and process validation as well as Lean and 6 Sigma tools.

  • Experienced user of the capital equipment acquisition process including technical specification generation, supplier identification and assessment, equipment build tracking, factory and site acceptance testing, installation, commissioning, and ramping to metrics.

  • Hands-on experience during commissioning (water run, chemical run, sequence testing) is a must.

  • Effective project management for >$1M capital equipment projects.

  • Experience, judgement, and technical knowledge to drive data-based decisions.

  • Knowledge and experience base in process design and equipment selection for performance chemicals and materials and the associated facility support systems.

  • Skilled user of MS office tools including Word, EXCEL, Outlook, Project.

  • AutoCAD, SolidWorks, SYSCAD, OLI, ASPEN competency a plus.

  • Ability to travel domestically.


APPLY TODAY!


Ascend Elements is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


Apply Now

Our Hiring Process

Benefits and Culture

From health and wellness to employee engagement and professional development, our goal is to foster a thriving workplace culture. Check out our benefits and culture section to learn more about our various programs and initiatives.

We are committed to supporting a company culture that will positively impact your quality of life and contribute to your professional success – making Ascend Elements somewhere you’ll want to stay for a long time.

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“At Ascend Elements we are empowering our employees to help revolutionize the production of engineered battery materials for a brighter future of clean energy. We are committed to supporting our employees to drive innovation and performance while prioritizing safety and collaboration to reduce our environmental impact. We are a company that is dedicated to fostering a positive, creative, and inclusive culture where employees feel valued, connected, and invested. Join our team today!”

Kathleen Quinty
Sr. Global Human Resources Director

Who We Are

We are made up of an impressive variety of talented employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

United States Veterans
Ascend Element United States Veterans — From serving our country to joining the Ascend Elements Team. Find your new home with a strong and proud group of fellow veterans.

"Ascend Elements is an opportunity to join a purpose-driven company at the ground floor, where your well-earned technical and leadership skills can have a direct impact on our growth and progress in a pioneer US industry. Ascend Elements provides a work environment and culture all too familiar with veterans; like-minded individuals (including many veterans) from diverse backgrounds and skills working towards a common goal through commitment and collaboration."

Ben Pope

Construction Program Manager, United States Marine Corps

“Similar to the reason why most veterans joined the military, employees at Ascend Elements feel a sense of purpose and meaning beyond themselves. It's not just a job here, it's everyone at Ascend marching in the same direction with the end goal of keeping America at the top of cutting-edge technology in the battery materials industry and preserving rare Earth metals.”

Cory Radcliffe

Construction Program Manager United States Marine Corps and Air Force

"You can apply skills learned in the military like teamwork and critical thinking every day to solve problems in an environment where your background is welcomed. In the same vein as my time in the Army, I get to provide meaningful contributions to real world problems alongside a group of people committed to a collective goal."

Andrew Walther

Construction Program Manager, United States Army

Interns to Full Time
Interns can journey to full-time team members. From interns to full time employees. Hear how their experience drove them to join the Ascend Elements Team permanently.

“Being an intern at AE allowed me to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application in engineering. Working on projects at the pilot facility brought my academic knowledge to life, deepening my understanding of engineering concepts. Choosing permanent employment at AE post-graduation was driven by the company's rapid growth, ensuring diverse experiences across multiple engineering domains and avoiding monotony in tasks."

Alexis Clark

Chemical Engineer

"Being an intern at Ascend Elements opened many doors for me and helped me to land several interviews both inside and outside AE prior to joining full time. The experience I accrued as an intern helped to guide my thinking and to realize what career path I wanted to pursue. You will not find a more dedicated and passionate team than Team Ascend!"

Matt Eggert

Associate Scientist

Passion for Communities 
& Sustainability
Want to make a difference? From sustainability to community advocacy, our employees have a passion for making the world a better place.

“Ascend Elements’ investment and commitment in Hopkinsville will be a game changer for our community for generations to come. The Ascend Elements leadership is dedicated to not only upcycling, but also the culture of growth within the organization.”

DeeAnna Sova

Equity Program Manager

"Ascend Elements is a company that is going to change the carbon footprint on the earth by recycling EV batteries. We are always working on ways to change the future of an EV batteries in the world. AE has found a process to keep batteries out of landfills and to recycle them back to a battery grade product that can be reused and/or recycled."

Kay Dixon

Sales Order Specialist

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Ascend Elements is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


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APPLY TODAY!


Ascend Elements is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


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APPLY TODAY!


Ascend Elements is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


Learn more

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Ascend Elements is revolutionizing the production of lithium-ion battery materials by establishing a clean and sustainable supply chain using recycled feedstock. Its patented Hydro-to-Cathode™ technology directly synthesizes new cathode materials from spent lithium-ion cells more efficiently than traditional methods, resulting in reduced cost, improved performance, and lowered greenhouse gas emissions. The results are lower cost, better performing batteries, a cleaner manufacturing process, and a truly sustainable closed-loop circular battery economy. This closed-loop process also allows for fewer end-of-life batteries being discarded in landfills. Ascend Elements is taking the lithium-ion battery industry to a higher level.


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The Mechanical Maintenance Technician is responsible for providing, predictive, preventive, and emergency maintenance services to production, utility operations and infrastructure systems as necessary to provide for safe operations, regulatory compliance and equipment availability related to mechanical systems plant wide.



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  • Capable of wearing task specific personal protective equipment which may include dust mask, air purifying respirator (i.e., half and/or full faced), safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, and ear protection.

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  • Ability to stand and/or walk for extended periods.

  • Must be able to work in a variety of weather conditions and temperatures.


Ascend cannot sponsor visas in this role now nor in the future. This includes taking over sponsorship from prior employers or educational institutions.


APPLY TODAY!


Ascend Elements is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


Learn more

Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Ascend Elements is a fast-growing organization that is revolutionizing the production of lithium-ion battery materials for electric vehicles. Recognized as a climate technology leader, the company elevates the value of recycled elements and engineers sustainable battery materials to support the global clean-energy transition. The company’s patented Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis technology produces new, sustainable cathode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries more efficiently than traditional methods, resulting in improved performance and lower carbon emissions. Ascend Elements is taking sustainability in the lithium-ion battery industry to a higher level.


We are currently hiring an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer to join our Advanced Manufactruing Engineering team! In this position you will be responsible for the overall process automation design and optimization of AE manufacturing facilities which include handling, discharge, and disassembly of spent EV batteries, shredding of such batteries, and chemical processing of this shredded material into new battery cathode.


This position will be based in Hopkinsville KY or in our Massachusetts Headquarters.


Responsibilities include but are not limited to:



  • Provide instrumentation and process controls technical expertise for capital projects, including reviewing and updating P&IDs, designing instruments, preparing or reviewing instrument index, input/output lists, instrument loop diagrams, instrument datasheets, control description, instruments requisition, junction box termination drawings, cable schedules, supporting FAT, SAT, installation, commissioning, startup.

  • Interface with EPC firms and construction contractors to effectively design and execute instrumentation and plant automation systems.

  • Lead efficiency improvement automation projects in multiple brown and green field sites. Modify and debug process control systems to achieve continuous process optimization and downtime reduction.

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  • Lead RCA (Root Cause Analysis) and troubleshooting effort to resolve process controls upset and product quality deviations.

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Skills and Requirements:



  • Bachelor’s degree or technical diploma in Electrical, Process Controls, or Chemical Engineering with automation experience.

  • 5+ years of experience in instrumentation and controls design and troubleshooting of industrial manufacturing plant. Programming experience is a plus.

  • Knowledge of control system design for performance material or similar manufacturing processes, and ability to read, interpret and generate engineering drawings and specifications.

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  • Experience, judgement, and technical knowledge to drive data-based decisions.

  • Skilled user of MS office tools including Word, EXCEL, Outlook, Project, AutoCAD.

  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally.


APPLY TODAY!


Ascend Elements is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


Learn more

Request a Quote

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