The posting
About Travertine
Travertine is an Industrial Transformation company based in Boulder, CO, that is rapidly scaling a technology for sulfur-decoupled production of critical minerals, starting with phosphate. Our technology enables large-scale circularity in extractive industries while simultaneously decarbonizing building materials. We do this by electrochemically recycling chemical byproducts, sulfate wastes, into sulfuric acid and valuable mineral co-products.
Sulfuric acid is the world's most used inorganic chemical and is vital for producing a wide range of critical elements including phosphate, lithium, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements. Travertine's technology solves the dual problems of sulfur supply vulnerability and large-scale chemical waste disposal. Our transformative process changes the fundamental material balance of critical mineral production, laying the groundwork for an industry liberated from fossil inputs and their legacy impacts.
Since founding, Travertine has raised over $29M in capital, including over $5M in US Federal and State government grants. We are an accomplished and driven team recognized by C&EN 10 startups to watch in 2022, Bloomberg NEF Pioneers in 2023, RMI Third Derivative 1st Gigaton Captured program in 2024, Mining Cleantech Challenge in 2026, and are a founding member of the Carbon Removal Alliance. Travertine designed, built, and successfully operated our core technology Demonstration Plant in Rochester, NY for over 3,000 hours, and delivered the project on-time and on-budget. We are now developing our first commercial plant, which will be the only new phosphate plant built on US soil in over 50 years.
The Role
Key Responsibilities
- Design & Prototyping: Create detailed CAD models, drawings, and physical prototypes for electrochemical cells, test stands, and mechanical fixtures.
- Testing & Validation: Design and execute experimental testing to characterize hardware performance, resistance, pressure limits, and fluid/thermal properties.
- Data Acquisition & Automation: Implement instrumentation, sensors, controls, and data acquisition tools to validate system performance.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with R&D, process development, and senior engineers to translate technical requirements into robust hardware solutions.
- Fabrication & Sourcing: Interface with local machine shops, vendors, and internal fabrication tools to build custom components and assemblies.
- Design for Manufacturability: Optimize the design of parts and assemblies to reduce cost and improve reliability, manufacturing cycle time and yield.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or greater in Mechanical Engineering.
- Educational or industry background in electrochemistry preferred.
- 2+ years of hands-on mechanical design and rapid prototyping experience in hardware, startup, or industrial environments.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling, drafting, and mechanical design principles.
- Experience with machine shop operations (milling, turning, welding) and safe chemical/laboratory practices.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive pay
- Stock options
- Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance
- 401k with 100% match up to 3% of salary
- Flexible time off policy



