Process Development Engineer

Modeling, Scale-Up, and Techno-Economics

Location: San Francisco, CA

Travel: ~15–20% for pilot work, vendor trials, and partner visits

Reports to: CTO

Position Overview:

Hyfé is seeking a process development engineer who will turn lab and pilot data into decision-ready process models. This role is designed for someone who learns quickly, embraces ambiguity, and is motivated to build scalable, sustainable solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems.

Role Responsibilities:

• Data and analysis. You will own the flow of data from the lab and pilot to process design. You will reconcile and close mass and energy balances, investigate outliers, and document underlying assumptions, such that the data is reliable and defensible for design and economic decisions.

• Process modeling and economics. You will build and maintain an Aspen Plus flowsheet with appropriate property methods for aqueous, electrolyte, and biopolymer streams. You will translate model outputs into techno-economic inputs (yields, utilities, throughput, consumables), run focused sensitivity analyses, and summarize what matters for decisions.

• Experiment design and scale-up. You will collaborate with chemists to design lean experiments that reduce uncertainty in process performance and product quality. You will engage with equipment suppliers to size and cost unit operations and to plan targeted trials.

• Process design and documentation. You will draft and iterate PFDs, P&IDs, control notes, and operating procedures that reflect pilot learning and safety considerations. You will contribute to risk reviews such as structured risk registers (FMEA) and pre-HAZOP activities.

• Communication and external deliverables. You will write concise decision memos and prepare clear slides for leadership, investors, and customers. You will contribute figures and process descriptions to support patent and grant applications.

Requirements:

• BA in Chemical Engineering or a closely related field with 4+ years of experience 

• Demonstrated hands-on problem solving in a startup, or similarly fast-paced environment.

• Ability to perform mass- and energy-balance reconciliation on imperfect data and to explain the accuracy and precision of common analytical methods (e.g. HPLC, UV-Vis).

• Proficiency with process-modeling tools such as Aspen Plus or SuperPro Designer, including justification of property-method selection and definition of pseudo-components for complex streams.

• Proficiency in techno-economic modelling (TEM), including running sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, and communicating key cost and risk drivers.

• Clear, concise written communication, strong organization, and the ability to present recommendations that enable timely decisions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemical Engineering or closely related field with 1-4 years of experience 

• Experience building an Aspen Plus model for aqueous or electrolyte systems and translating model outputs into economic evaluations.

• Working knowledge of experimental design; sensitivity analysis or simple Monte Carlo methods; and data analysis in JMP, Python, or similar tools.

• Experience with biomass preprocessing (for example, milling and solids handling), membranes, filtration, centrifugation, evaporation, or ion-exchange resins.

• Experience drafting process diagrams and participating in structured risk identification. 

Benefits:

• Competitive annual salary, commensurate with experience

• Generous vacation policy, including 15 days of PTO, paid holidays, office closure on the last week of the year

• 401(k) plan

• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Short-term disability coverage

• In-office snacks & drinks

About Hyfé:

Hyfé transforms plant waste into chemical alternatives to petroleum. As the world transitions to clean energy, our materials economy must evolve in parallel. Petrochemicals account for 7% of global emissions and drive over a third of global oil demand—yet the industry remains one of the most overlooked contributors to climate change. 

Meanwhile, over four billion tons of plant biomass waste are generated globally each year—containing more than enough carbon to entirely replace petroleum-derived chemicals. 

Hyfé tackles this challenge with a novel biorefining approach that converts low-value plant waste into high-value chemical intermediates. This enables the production of the same essential materials—without relying on petroleum. Our technology can double the output of critical chemicals, preserve strategic oil reserves, redirect billions into strengthening the food processing sector, and power domestic manufacturing that revitalizes rural communities.

Led by a leadership team with decades of experience in oil refining and industrial scale-up, Hyfé is uniquely positioned to commercialize the refining infrastructure of the future.

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

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