Senior Design Engineer (w/m/x) (80-100%)

Become part of our Design Engineering team as a highly experienced individual contributor. You will independently solve demanding mechanical design tasks, from concepts and CAD models through manufacturing drawings and prototypes to tested hardware, while simultaneously supporting the wider team in making sound technical decisions.

As a Senior Design Engineer (w/m/x), you will be a hands-on member of our Design Engineering team, designing Climeworks' CO2 Collectors, the heart of our Direct Air Capture plant. The performance of these collectors, how they are manufactured, and how they can be scaled are crucial for the future success of DAC.

• Mechanical Concept & Product Design: You will independently transform new concepts into robust physical products: You will develop mechanical concepts, create CAD models, design components and complete collector assemblies, produce manufacturing drawings, and accompany the hardware through manufacturing, assembly, and testing.

• Technical Problem Solving & Risk Reduction: Your experience will help you find the right solutions faster, identify problems early, and reduce risks before they impact manufacturing or testing.

• CO₂ Collector Design: You will develop mechanical systems from requirements and initial concepts to detailed, manufacturing-ready designs. You will work out solutions, perform technical calculations, and make the necessary decisions to develop robust industrial hardware.

• Engineering based on Fundamental Principles: You will leverage your experience and thinking based on fundamental engineering principles to identify risks early, quickly evaluate alternatives, and develop simple, robust solutions. You will use calculations, tolerance analyses, design reviews, and testing to reduce uncertainties.

• Design from Concept to Commercialization: You will work directly in SolidWorks to create and adapt parts, assemblies, and system layouts. You will manage complex interfaces, space constraints, and design changes to ensure the overall system works optimally. You will create and maintain high-quality 2D manufacturing drawings, including appropriate GD&T callouts, tolerances, materials, finishes, and manufacturing requirements.

• Prototype Manufacturing, Assembly & Testing: You will remain closely involved even after CAD work is completed. You will support the manufacturing, assembly, and testing of prototypes, investigate encountered issues, and feed the gained insights back into the design.

• Technical Leadership & Design Reviews: You will act as an experienced technical point of contact for the team and support the leadership of the Design Engineering team in design reviews, engineering standards, and the release of critical designs. You will support the wider team with your technical judgment on complex mechanical design decisions, contribute to maintaining high engineering standards, and share your experience through daily collaboration, mentoring, and constructive challenging.

• Interdisciplinary Engineering Collaboration: You will collaborate with manufacturing, testing, process engineering, procurement, suppliers, and other engineering disciplines to ensure mechanical designs function as part of the overall product. You will engage external design resources when necessary.

What sets you apart

Your experience makes your engineering work more effective: You recognize promising solutions early, uncover weaknesses before they become costly, and deliver designs that are clear, manufacturable, and ready for practical application.

• Mechanical Design Experience: You bring 15+ years of hands-on experience in mechanical design, ideally in developing complex industrial equipment from concept through manufacturing, assembly, and testing.

• Sheet Metal Design and Manufacturing: You have solid practical experience in designing sheet metal parts, structures, and assemblies for high-volume manufacturing. You are familiar with bending, welding, and joining processes, forming, tolerances, as well as material and sheet metal thickness selection, and you know how design decisions impact tooling, costs, assembly, and quality.

• CAD and Drawings: You are a SolidWorks expert and continue to work in CAD yourself. You personally create high-quality manufacturing drawings and are proficient with GD&T and tolerance stacks.

• System Design and Technical Judgment: You have experience designing components and mechanisms across subsystems and interfaces to complex assemblies. You understand how decisions at one level impact the entire collector and balance structures, airflow, motion, sealing, process interfaces, manufacturability, reliability, and cost to arrive at robust solutions.

• Manufacturing and DFMA: You have in-depth knowledge of machined parts, welded structures, materials, and manufacturing processes, and you apply DFMA to develop robust and cost-effective designs.

• Collaboration and Technical Leadership: You work well with engineers, technicians, manufacturing partners, and suppliers. You share your experience, constructively challenge, and help others make better technical decisions.

• Education: You have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a comparable degree.

• Language: You speak fluent English. This is a must-have criterion, as our company language is English.

This role is not for you if…

• you primarily want to lead people or projects.

• you primarily engage in simulation, conceptual work, or system engineering without your own CAD work.

• you have no experience with sheet metal, welded structures, or high-volume manufacturing.

Our promise: At Climeworks, you are accepted for who you are, and we are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply – regardless of background, identity, or experience. Studies show that women and individuals from minority backgrounds often only apply for jobs when they meet 100% of the listed criteria. If this sounds like you, don’t hold back. If you think you’d make a great fit for this role, we’d love to hear from you, even if you don’t check every single box. Let’s tackle one of humankind’s greatest challenges together.

What we offer:

• Time Off: Enjoy 25 paid vacation days every year, plus public holidays.

• Flexibility: Work how it suits you best. We offer a hybrid work setup and up to 4 weeks of remote work annually within any EU country.

• Ownership: Fair base pay paired with an equity package – because your contributions matter.

• Family Support: Inclusive parental leave.

• Continuous Learning: Dedicated budget to invest in your professional growth.

• Referral Rewards: Help us grow our team and earn bonuses for your successful referrals.

Salary: At Climeworks, salary ranges are assigned to a job based on the level of seniority and the location specific market median of similar jobs according to external benchmark surveys. Individual compensation depends on your skills, experience, and the value you bring to the team.

Formalities: 

• This position is based in Opfikon, Zurich, and we ask that you work onsite at least three days per week.

• The percentage in the job title means flexibility – choose full-time or part-time based on what works for you.

• We do not accept candidate profiles through recruitment agencies.

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