Senior Research Engineer

Senior Research Engineer

Oakland, CA

About Magrathea

Based in Oakland, California, Magrathea is a global category leader in critical mineral production technology. Our mission is to rebuild the magnesium metal supply base, delivering secure access to one of the most critical materials on Earth. Magnesium is essential to the aluminum, steel, titanium, nuclear, defense, and aerospace industries but 95% of global supply comes from China where large amounts of coal are used to make metal. This isn’t just an economic risk: it’s a national security threat, and Magrathea is fixing it. We’ve developed a next-generation electrolytic process to make magnesium metal from seawater and brines, unlocking a new path to industrial independence and to a cleaner environment for future generations. We’re backed by the earliest believers in Tesla and SpaceX, major European industrial families, and the U.S. Department of Defense. If you’re ready to make a lasting real-world impact, let's talk.

Is Magrathea For Me?

You’ll be joining a high-performance team of builders on a mission to stand up the first major electrolytic magnesium smelter this century. We’re doing it this decade. There are no pointless positions here, no layers of middle management, no meetings about meetings: just a hyper focus on execution. You’ll be hands-on from day one, shaping the core of a technology that will have major impacts on national security, clean technology, and industrial resilience. If you’re the kind of person who runs toward hard problems, thrives under pressure, and wants to build something history will remember you for, this role is for you.

Ideal Background

• 8+ years of experience with inorganic chemistry and pilot plant operations
• BS, MS, or PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, process engineering or related field
• Experience in experimental design and development of molten salt systems or other complex process technology

Compensation

• Salary range: $120,000-$200,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Equity, stock options, and/or milestone-based compensation
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401k from day 1 with pre-tax and post-tax investing options

Role Expectations

• Lead design and execution of experiments on Magrathea's molten salt electrolyzer to optimize electrolysis performance, efficiency, and scalability
• Lead hands-on testing, troubleshooting, and improvements in electrolyzer design, materials, and operating conditions to determine solutions for tough problems at both the pilot and bench scale
• Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data to establish conclusions and recommendations
• Perform engineering design calculations for heat flux, heat flow, understand and utilization electrochemical measurements such as polarization curves, vaporization rates, and other physical parameters
• Design, prototype and procure/fabricate experimental rigs up to 1 cubic meter in size
• Operate and lead investigations on mini-pilot and larger pilot plant equipment and deploy modifications where useful
• Ensure all research activities adhere to safety protocols and regulatory standards
• Able to anticipate potential issues and make important decisions within ambiguity
• Thrive in fast-paced, high-accountability environments and take pride in being the person others rely on to get the job done
• You don't wait to be told what to do: you see problems, solve them, and move on to the next one

Location

• Full-time in-person at our Oakland, California facilities
• Magrathea sponsors visas for candidates from Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand