Octavia Carbon is a pioneering company based in Nairobi, Kenya, focused on Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology for carbon dioxide removal. Founded in June 2022

Role Overview

We are seeking a Process Design Engineer to design, commission and improve the systems that capture CO₂ from ambient air and regenerate our sorbent. You will own assigned systems from concept through detailed engineering, procurement, commissioning and performance validation, covering the process from air intake to the reactor outlet flange plus the thermal utilities and water systems serving the reactors, with a focus on reducing energy use, water demand and cost per tonne of CO₂ captured. You will work closely with the CO₂ Systems Engineer and the Procurement, Operations, Product and R&D teams.

Key responsibilities

• Process design: Develop design bases, PFDs, P&IDs, heat and mass balances and specifications, and define reactor, sorbent and regeneration requirements from concept to detailed engineering.
• Capture-cycle optimisation: Develop and optimise adsorption–desorption sequences and design experiments to improve capture performance.
• Utilities and water: Define steam, thermal-fluid, cooling-water, geothermal integration and water/wastewater requirements, with a focus on heat and water recovery.
• Performance and troubleshooting: Analyse plant data, lead root cause investigations and quantify improvement opportunities.
• Controls, safety and commissioning: Define control narratives and interlocks, take part in hazard studies, and lead commissioning and performance validation.
• Procurement and delivery: Evaluate suppliers, deliver process inputs on time for Mechanical and Electrical/Controls design, and maintain design records.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Proven process design and hands-on plant experience, including commissioning or troubleshooting.
• Strong grounding in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer and process safety.
• Proficiency in Excel and engineering tools (AutoCAD Plant 3D, EPANET or AFT Fathom/Arrow desirable), with clear technical writing.

Additional experience that would be valuable

• Adsorption, sorbent regeneration, steam or geothermal systems, water treatment, pilot plants or Python.

• Develop design bases, PFDs, P&IDs, heat and mass balances and specifications, and define reactor, sorbent and regeneration requirements from concept to detailed engineering.
• Develop and optimise adsorption–desorption sequences and design experiments to improve capture performance.
• Define steam, thermal-fluid, cooling-water, geothermal integration and water/wastewater requirements, with a focus on heat and water recovery.
• Analyse plant data, lead root cause investigations and quantify improvement opportunities.
• Define control narratives and interlocks, take part in hazard studies, and lead commissioning and performance validation.
• Evaluate suppliers, deliver process inputs on time for Mechanical and Electrical/Controls design, and maintain design records.

• Process design
• Commissioning
• Troubleshooting
• Thermodynamics
• Fluid mechanics
• Heat and mass transfer
• Process safety
• Excel
• AutoCAD Plant 3D
• EPANET
• AFT Fathom/Arrow
• Technical writing
• Adsorption
• Sorbent regeneration
• Steam systems
• Geothermal systems
• Water treatment
• Pilot plants
• Python

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Proven process design and hands-on plant experience, including commissioning or troubleshooting.
• Strong grounding in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer and process safety.
• Proficiency in Excel and engineering tools (AutoCAD Plant 3D, EPANET or AFT Fathom/Arrow desirable), with clear technical writing.
• Additional experience that would be valuable: Adsorption, sorbent regeneration, steam or geothermal systems, water treatment, pilot plants or Python.