Job Description

Ekona Power is a Vancouver-based breakthrough energy technology company developing a novel methane pyrolysis platform for low-cost, clean hydrogen production. We believe this technology will have a significant and positive impact in a world trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change. Along with our innovative technology, we are creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment where your ideas and input count. You will be comfortable working in a start-up environment and have a positive, solution-oriented attitude, working out of our North Burnaby facility. Ekona offers a flexible work schedule and benefits that include wellness for employees and their families.

We are looking for a Senior CFD Engineer to help develop Ekona’s Alternate Pyrolysis Reactor Concepts. In this role you will work closely with the Chief Technical Officer and VP of Product Development, to develop, analyze and optimize existing and future reactor and combustion concepts to achieved key performance goals. This is a rare opportunity to be part of a team that will be responsible for building and validating strategic alternative concepts and increase our IP portfolio.
Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop analytic CFD models, both reacting and non-reacting, steady and unsteady to explore, optimise and evaluate competing reactor concepts based around Ekona’s proprietary pyrolysis technology to achieve key performance metrics including mixing uniformity, ignition reliability and high hydrogen and carbon output yields
• As part of a team, help develop novel new reactor concepts from the ground up for future generation product offerings
• Using Cantera, Chemkin or the like, develop reduced-order kinetic models of the reactor/combustor assembly to calculate key performance outputs and conduct critical sensitivity studies based on operating state points
• Perform detailed thermal, combustion, mass and energy balance analyses and calculations
• Support the design, assembly and testing of a lab-scale, proof of concept thermal reactor/combustion systems and use the results to calibrate concurrent analytic models
• Help generate key Intellectual Property for the company to increase its Patent Portfolio and technology protection
• Work with the existing team to assemble, build, commission and operate the model prototype reactor(s) and validate against concurrent CFD and analytic models

You bring:

• Masters Level Mechanical Engineer Degree (or equivalent) with 10+ years relevant experience in the analytic design of thermal, reacting and fluids systems including, but not limited to, thermal reactors/oxidizers, gasifiers, gas turbine combustion systems (land-based or commercial), boiler burners, process heaters, rockets, etc.
• Thorough understanding of thermodynamics and reacting and non-reacting fluid dynamic flows including, but not limited to the following:
  • Premixed and Diffusion flames
  • Reaction Kinetic Mechanisms
  • High-speed flow including Shock waves
  • Conjugate heat transfer
  • Advanced fuel-air mixing concepts and optimization
  • Gas Fuel Injections
  • Swirling flows
• Advanced expertise in a variety of CFD solvers including Ansys Fluent, CD Adapco, CFX, Open Foam, or equivalent
• Advanced expertise in a variety of kinetic and equilibrium solvers such as Cantera, Ansys Chemkin, Gaseq, or the like
• Experience with reduced order kinetic models integration into CFD solvers
• Provide accurate and detailed reports of CFD results
• Exceptional communication skills both written and verbal; ability to present results in front of a group of peers
• Support Design Team in product design and development activities
• Ensure that product design and performance meet technical and functional requirements
• Ability to work independently, and as part of a team
• Mechanical aptitude, hands-on, and the desire and capability to lead a team if needed

Additional Experience Desired:

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• Ability to read and interpret CAD and P&IDs drawings
• Intermediate experience with CAD packages such as CATIA, Solid Works, AutoCAD, CREO or the like and associated GD&T standards
• Hands-on experience using and operating flammable gases and operating combustion test rigs including data analysis and processing
• Experience with both high and low-speed instrumentation (dynamic pressure and temperature sensors), flow meters, regulators, etc.
• Experience with process control system hardware and DAQ software (DCS, HMI, PLC, National Instruments),
• Versed in such software and programming tools like MATLAB, Python, C++, or the like

We Offer:
Purposeful work – we are developing breakthrough technology that transforms the way we produce clean hydrogen to combat climate change.

• Competitive compensation, plus bonus and stock options
• Extended health and dental plan
• Flexible work schedule
• Staff social functions
• Kitchen snacks
• Free (and abundant) parking at our North Burnaby location
• Great team to work with

We are a fun group of mainly engineers and operations staff. We are competitive, humble, and hard working.

• Into coffee? We have a pretentious coffee club
• Enjoy cycling? We have a club for that too
• Running? Burnaby lake park is right behind the office
• Competitive? Challenge a co-worker to a game of foosball

We are accepting applications from candidates across North America, and are open to International applicants looking to move to British Columbia (for the right applicant).
Be a part of our breakthrough environmental solution and apply today.