Prototype Technician

Job description

**About CURA** CURA is a Canadian climate technology company working to change how one of the world’s most essential materials is made. Cement is responsible for approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions. Our mission is to eliminate those emissions by becoming the default technology for cement production everywhere. Our electrochemical process splits limestone into lime and a pure stream of CO₂ for storage or use, with the potential to reduce emissions by up to 85% while lowering energy use and manufacturing costs. Designed to be retrofit-ready, it integrates with existing feedstocks, infrastructure and operations. CURA is working toward bringing a 30,000-tonne-per-year commercial demonstration facility online in 2028. Led by experienced climate technology founders, we collaborate with cement producers, engineers, researchers and industry partners around the world to move breakthrough technology from the lab to industrial scale. We are building a team of curious scientists, inventive engineers and practical problem-solvers who enjoy tackling big challenges together. We combine scientific rigour with an entrepreneurial culture that values collaboration, creativity, learning and fun. Safety is fundamental to how we work. CURA maintains a strong safety culture, and every team member completes occupational health and safety orientation and role-specific training. ### The Role As CURA's Prototype Technician, you are the hands that turn designs into working hardware. You will build, assemble, and instrument the single-cell and multi-cell electrolyzers and test rigs our scientists and mechanical designer put on paper, then run them through the validation and testing that shows whether a design holds up. You'll also prototype and refine components at the bench — fabricating parts, building jigs and fixtures, and adjusting fits — so the team can iterate quickly. This role exists because our path from lab to commercial scale runs through physical iteration. Someone has to make parts real, get them running, and generate the data that proves or disproves each design decision. If you like working with your hands on real hardware and care about getting both a clean build and a clean test result, this is where that happens. ### Key Responsibilities **Design, Prototype & Build** - Use CAD (SolidWorks) to model and detail parts, jigs, fixtures, and prototype components, and produce clean drawings for fabrication. - Assemble, operate, and maintain single-cell and multi-cell electrolyzer test systems, including preparation of components, electrodes, membranes, electrolytes, and test fixtures. - Fabricate and prototype parts, jigs, and fixtures through machining, 3D printing, and hand fabrication; refine fits and tolerances at the bench and coordinate parts with outside machine shops and vendors. **Instrumentation & Commission** - Set up, instrument, and commission electrolyzer test rigs and benches, including fluid handling (pumps, flow controllers, valves), gas handling for the CO₂ stream, sensors, and data acquisition systems. - Support commissioning and testing of prototype electrolyzer stacks, including startup/shutdown procedures, monitoring, and performance evaluation. **Test & Validate** - Execute validation and test procedures — leak and pressure testing, sealing integrity, durability, and behaviour under operating conditions, as well as polarization curves, efficiency measurements, and stability testing. - Collect, organize, and analyze experimental data to evaluate performance, identify issues and failure modes, and support the next design iteration. **Iterate & Document** - Develop and maintain test procedures, build records, and documentation so that builds and results are consistent and repeatable. - Troubleshoot mechanical, fluidic, and assembly issues on prototype and pilot hardware. - Collaborate closely with the senior scientist and mechanical designer to support rapid iteration of stack and component designs, feeding build and test findings back into design. - Other duties as required to achieve CURA's milestones. **Iterate & Document** - Demonstrate consistent attention to safe work practices. - Maintain laboratory and shop equipment, consumables, chemical inventories, and safe operating practices while supporting a well-organized R&D environment. **Collaboration & Communication** - Work effectively across an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians. - Communicate outcomes clearly and provide recommendations for further development to the management team. - Demonstrate strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and collaboration skills. - Responsibly identify and manage IP, and communicate it to management, internal team members, and external stakeholders. - Be a self-starter able to work independently while managing multiple competing priorities. - Bring strong organizational and time-management skills. - Contribute to a culture of honesty, transparency, innovation, and safety. ### Qualifications **Required** - A degree in a technical field — mechanical engineering technology, mechatronics, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or similar — with equivalent hands-on experience. - Hands-on experience building, assembling, or testing physical hardware, such as prototypes, test rigs, fixtures, or fluid/gas systems. - Working proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar): able to read and produce engineering drawings and to model parts, fixtures, and prototype components for fabrication. - A careful and methodical approach to builds, record-keeping, and data organization, with comfort analyzing data using Excel, Python, MATLAB, or similar tools. - A strong safety mindset and willingness to complete occupational health and safety training. - Ability to take direction, work independently, and manage several tasks at once in a fast-moving environment. **Preferred** - Hands-on experience with electrolyzers, fuel cells, flow batteries, or other electrochemical cells. - Familiarity with potentiostats, DC power supplies, pumps, flow controllers, sensors, and data acquisition systems. - Machining, 3D printing, welding, or other fabrication skills. - Experience with electrode preparation, membrane handling, or cell and stack assembly. - Scripting for automated data collection or analysis, for example in Python or LabVIEW. - Prior exposure to a startup, pilot plant, or hardware scale-up environment. - Genuine interest in carbon capture, cement, or heavy-industry decarbonization. ### What We Offer - Competitive salary and early-stage equity stock options - Generous vacation policy and a flexible, mission-driven culture - A chance to make a measurable impact on global climate solutions - Direct mentorship from senior scientists and engineers, with real ownership of the experiments you run. - The opportunity to help prove a first-of-a-kind technology at the point where it either works or it doesn't: the lab bench. ### Additional Information - Relocation will be considered for this position - Compensation will be commensurate with education and experience - The successful candidate is required to provide proof of a valid driver’s license