SandboxAQ is looking to solve real-world challenges in the chemical and energy sectors by discovering and optimizing novel heterogeneous catalyst materials.
Requirements
- Direct experience developing and utilizing microkinetic models in collaboration with laboratory experiments for catalyst design or process optimization.
- Familiarity with modern atomistic simulation methods for catalyst discovery, either through direct experience or close collaboration with computational experts.
- Basic programming skills, including familiarity with Python.
- Proven experience supporting experimental groups with DFT-based atomistic simulations and microkinetic modeling for catalyst discovery applications.
- Hands-on experience or familiarity with experimental methods for heterogeneous catalysis research (e.g., synthesis, testing, and characterization).
- Advanced software development skills with Python in a high-performance computing (HPC) environment, especially for computational materials analysis.
- Experience or coursework in AI/ML, with specific familiarity with recent developments in machine-learned force fields for materials discovery.
Responsibilities
- Lead client engagements focused on the discovery and optimization of novel heterogeneous catalyst materials.
- Deploy proprietary computational workflows to simulate the reactivity and dynamics of catalytic materials across atomic, mesoscale, and continuum scales.
- Collaborate with platform and software engineering teams to continuously improve the efficiency and performance of our discovery workflows.
- Prepare and deliver high-impact reports, presentations, and publications to communicate research findings to internal, academic, and industry partners.
- Mentor junior scientists and interns in catalysis and reaction engineering, championing best research practices.
- Support business functions with technical diligence and proposal development for pre-sales customer engagements.
Other
- PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or equivalent discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- 3+ years of industrial R&D experience in heterogeneous catalysis and/or reaction engineering.
- A strong publication record demonstrating interdisciplinary collaboration and the ability to adapt to new technologies and methodologies in catalysis research.
- Willingness to travel occasionally for in-person meetings with industrial partners.
- The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders.
