Mechanical Engineer - Facilities

WHO WE ARE
Kunin Technologies is revolutionizing the critical mineral supply chain by implementing advanced separation technologies to capture value from overlooked resources.
Metals are everywhere, in solar panels, smartphones, electric vehicles, but as ore grades plummet globally, traditional extraction methods are failing. China dominates critical minerals markets by developing superior separation technologies that extract value from materials American mines discard as waste.
Utilizing Kunin Technologies' breakthrough performance, ion-exchange media significantly more value can be produced from each resource, reducing waste, and unlocking metal abundance.
To achieve metal abundance, humanity must bring separation science down its own Moore’s Law: fix the idiot cost index for micro and nano scale separation materials. This requires mass manufacturing novel ion-exchange media form factors which previously struggled from high costs.
THE ROLE
We are automating the roll-to-roll processing of ion-exchange media, and every piece of that line has to be mounted, plumbed, powered, and ventilated. You are responsible for the mechanical side of the facility and its interface with the line: utility piping, pumps and tanks, exhaust handling, and the installation packages that take equipment from crate to commissioned.
You are part of the plant engineering team in Chattanooga, TN, working directly with our VP of Manufacturing, the line engineering team, and equipment vendors and contractors.
This demonstration line becomes the basis of a greenfield manufacturing facility in Series A – B, at 10X the scale, with automated material handling and integrated back–end exchange media equipment packaging and integrated front-end continuous microfiber media sheet production.
This role matures into lead mechanical engineer of the greenfield facility: owning its mechanical utility design, equipment installation standards, and mechanical infrastructure from first specification through commissioning.
By the end of Q1 2027, we expect our demonstration line to be installed and operating at nameplate. By 2030, we want to be the world’s largest volume producer of ion-exchange media.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Mechanical design of utility systems: process piping, pumps, tanks, compressed air, and exhaust handling
- Equipment installation packages: layouts, rigging plans, anchoring, and utility tie-ins for line equipment
- HVAC and ventilation design for chemical processing areas, working with outside engineering firms
- Mechanical scopes for the greenfield facility: specifications, vendor bids, and installation oversight
- Troubleshooting and upgrades of mechanical infrastructure as the line approaches nameplate
QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERRED SKILLS
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering preferred.
- 3+ years in facilities or plant engineering with mechanical systems ownership: industrial, chemical, semiconductor, or similar manufacturing sites.
- Has designed and installed utility piping, HVAC, or mechanical equipment packages in an operating facility.
- Experience with CAD and piping design tools (SolidWorks, AutoCAD Plant 3D, or similar).
- Ability to work in fast paced and demanding atmosphere
- Creative problem solving that brings together mechanical design, utilities, equipment installation, and plant operations disciplines.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- Position located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Travel to partners' facilities may be intermittently required.
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Extended hours and weekends frequently required to support critical project milestones.
"The Whole World Is Ion-Exchange And The Rest Are Merely Details!"
Dr. Robert Kunin of Rohm and Haas, The Pioneer of the Ion-Exchange Industry, 1951

Employment type
FullTime

Work arrangement
No