Electrical Engineer (san Francisco, Ca) (bh0095)

About Charm

Our mission is to return the atmosphere to 280 ppm CO₂. We convert excess inedible biomass into carbon-rich bio-oil and inject it into underground storage for permanent carbon removal. At scale we can use bio-oil to make fossil-free iron.

Our carbon removal pathway took off in 2020 with initial purchases from customers like Stripe, Shopify & Microsoft. Since then we’ve scaled to thousands of tons of carbon removal, over a hundred employees, and now have three locations in San Francisco, Colorado, and Kansas. Come join us in 2024 as we aim to become one of the first companies to put 10,000 tons of carbon back underground!

We're looking to expand our team of ambitious creative and hands-on 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!

About the Role

Our Pyrotronics team is looking for an Electrical Engineer to support our pyrolysis team. This role includes the design, fabrication, test, and implementation of electrical control cabinets for our pyrolyzer prototypes. You will interface with cross functional teams including fabrication, test, and engineering. Your first project will be to design a control box for the reactor potion of our new test stand. We are building a test fixture that is modular. It will have separate control boxes for each portion of the pyrolyzer: Biomass metering, reactor, condenser, separator, and gas combustion. The control boxes can be used as stand alone test stations with an HMI, or they will be combined to form larger test stands.

Responsibilities:

• Using the rest of the Pyrotronics team as a resource, you will design and develop automation control cabinets. This includes selecting motor controllers and VFDS, designing basic AC circuits and wiring harnesses, and selecting appropriate PLC cards and how they interact with all the sensors and actuators. You are then responsible for creating electrical schematics, selecting appropriate components and creating a bill of materials. Then you get to build it!
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams: Work closely with mechanical engineers, software developers, and other stakeholders to integrate control systems, motor controllers, VFDs, and industrial sensors into larger automation projects.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues: Identify and troubleshoot control system malfunctions, sensor inaccuracies, and communication problems, implement corrective measures, and perform system testing to ensure optimal performance.
• Documentation and reporting: Create detailed technical documentation, including sensor specifications, sensor integration plans, drawings, specifications, and test reports, to support system integration, maintenance, and future enhancements.
• Implement basic PLC systems: Use the building blocks created by our sensors and controls team to build basic HMIs.

Requirements:

• Excitement about getting opportunities to build rapid prototypes, get your hands dirty by working side-by-side with a cross functional team.
• 4 years or more of Electrical, Electronics or Controls Engineering (or similar) professional experience.
• Experience in designing automation control cabinets and constructing cable assemblies.
• Experience with electrical schematic capture tools (We use Zuken).
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot control system and sensor-related issues.
• Must be physically able to climb ladders, bend, or crawl in awkward spaces.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds at a time.
• Have a proactive, professional and “can do” attitude.
• Passionate about contributing to our mission and growing the company.
• Willingness to travel once or twice a year to Fort Lupton, CO to visit with our Colorado team.

Bonus (but not required):

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field
• Familiarity with programming languages for PLC systems, such as ladder logic or structured text
• Understanding of automation control systems, motor control principles, electrical circuit design, and industrial sensors
• Proficiency in selecting motor controllers, VFDs, and industrial sensors based on project requirements
• Knowledge of safety regulations and standards related to high-power systems
• Experience designing for or operating near high power equipment (high voltage, large horsepower motors, high force actuators …etc)