Job Description

About Travertine

Travertine is a Climate Tech start-up based in Boulder, CO, that is rapidly scaling a technology for low-waste, carbon-negative production of critical elements, focusing on phosphoric acid production for our go-to-market application. Our electrochemical process converts phosphate rock into phosphoric acid for EV batteries and fertilizers, while simultaneously converting carbon dioxide captured from the air into a mineral addition to cement. Travertine was spun out of UC Berkeley in 2022 to scale this process to gigatons of permanent CDR while massively reducing industrial waste.

Since its founding, Travertine has raised over $25M in capital, including over $5M in US Federal and State government grants. As one of the first companies to receive pre-purchases of CDR from the new Stripe-led $1B Frontier fund, and as founding members of the Carbon Removal Alliance, we are committed to industrial decarbonization at scale. We were named C&EN 10 startups to watch in 2022, a Bloomberg NEF Pioneer in 2023, and RMI Third Derivative 1st Gigaton Captured program participants in 2024. Today we are focused on scaling up commercial deployments of our technology, starting with a Demonstration Plant to be commissioned in mid-2025. We believe in developing practical approaches to solving the climate crisis.

The Role

Travertine is seeking a Director of Research and Development to lead a growing, high-impact R&D team focused on scaling breakthrough electrochemical processes from the lab to commercial scale. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role is pivotal in bridging scientific innovation with engineering execution to ensure successful technology deployment.

The ideal candidate brings a depth of experience in applied chemical process design, experimental development, and the translation of bench-scale insights into scalable, efficient process systems. This leader will manage a diverse R&D portfolio, drive strategic prioritization, and promote structured, high-performance workflows. Strong interpersonal and cross-functional communication skills are essential, as the Director will work closely with executive leadership, engineering, and external partners. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity to directly shape the future of Travertine’s carbon-negative chemical process.

• Lead and mentor the R&D team, fostering a high-performance, collaborative, and innovative culture.
• Develop and execute a cohesive R&D roadmap that aligns with Travertine’s commercial deployment goals.
• Manage multiple R&D projects in parallel, ensuring timely progress, resource allocation, and technical rigor.
• Design and oversee experiments that inform process development and optimization at pilot and commercial scales.
• Guide the translation of laboratory results into process designs, collaborating with engineering and simulation teams.
• Drive professional development and structured work planning across the R&D organization.
• Communicate technical updates, tradeoffs, and priorities to cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders.
• Interface with third parties (e.g., vendors, academic partners) to expand R&D capabilities and accelerate progress.
• Contribute to process scale-up efforts, including integration with pilot plant operations and commercial systems.
• Ensure safety, data integrity, and regulatory compliance across all R&D activities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline (civil/environmental engineering may be acceptable with strong experience)
• Proven ability to design experiments and translate results into scalable process designs
• 8+ years of applied chemical process design experience
• 5+ years of formal management experience leading R&D teams
• Experience managing a diverse portfolio of R&D projects
• Background in chemical process engineering, especially in hydrometallurgy
• High emotional intelligence and excellent communication skills across technical and executive teams
• Strategic thinker with a structured approach to program management and reporting
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in a relevant discipline

• Electrochemical process experience (e.g., electrolysis, electrodialysis, chlor-alkali)
• Experience with membrane separation, ion exchange, crystallization, and solid-liquid separation techniques
• Familiarity with chemical/physical analytical methods (e.g., spectroscopy, mineralogical characterization)
• Experience writing scopes of work (SOWs) and interfacing with external vendors or collaborators
• Background in phosphate fertilizer production
• Demonstrated ability to guide R&D through pilot and commercial scale-up phases
• Competency in reading PFDs and creating mass and energy balance models (MEBs)
• Start-up or high-growth company experience

• Competitive pay
• Stock options
• Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance
• 401k with 100% match up to 3% of salary
• Flexible time off policy

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