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

About the job

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

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

• Mechanical Concept & Product Design: You independently transform new concepts into robust physical products: you 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 helps you find the right solutions faster, identify problems early, and reduce risks before they impact manufacturing or testing.

• CO₂ Collector Design: You develop mechanical systems from requirements and initial concepts to detailed, manufacturable designs. You devise solutions, perform technical calculations, and make necessary decisions to develop robust industrial hardware.

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

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

• Prototype Manufacturing, Assembly & Testing: You remain closely involved after completing CAD work. You support the manufacturing, assembly, and testing of prototypes, investigate arising issues, and incorporate the gained insights back into the design.

• Technical Leadership & Design Reviews: You act as an experienced technical contact for the team and support the leadership of the Design Engineering team in design reviews, engineering standards, and approval of critical designs. You assist the extended team with your technical judgement in complex mechanical design decisions, contribute to maintaining high engineering standards, and share your experience through daily collaboration, mentoring, and constructive questioning.

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

What distinguishes you

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

• Experience in Mechanical Design: You bring 15+ years of hands-on experience in mechanical design, ideally in the development of complex industrial plants from conception through manufacturing and assembly to 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 thickness selection, and understand how design decisions affect tooling, costs, assembly, and quality.

• CAD and Drawings: You are a SolidWorks expert and continue to work hands-on in CAD. You personally create high-quality manufacturing drawings and are confident in using GD&T and tolerance chains.

• System Design and Technical Judgement: You have experience designing components and mechanisms through subsystems and interfaces to complex assemblies. You understand how decisions at one level affect the entire collector and balance structures, airflow, movement, sealing, process interfaces, manufacturability, reliability, and costs to arrive at robust solutions.

• Manufacturing and DFMA: You have in-depth knowledge of machined parts, welded constructions, materials, and manufacturing processes and 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, question constructively, and help others make better technical decisions.

• Education: You hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a comparable qualification.

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

This position is not for you if…

• you primarily want to lead people or projects.

• you mainly do simulation, conceptual work, or systems engineering without your own CAD work.

• you have no experience with sheet metal, welded constructions, 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.