Your Mission

Radical Dot is hiring a Process Control Engineer (m/w/o) to support with the scale-up of our cutting-edge technology for converting mixed plastic waste into high-value chemical building blocks. Moving beyond traditional methods like pyrolysis and gasification, we are pioneering a sustainable and cost-efficient solution for the chemical industry.

As an early-stage start-up, we are looking for a hands-on chemical engineer who thrives in a dynamic environment. You will play a critical role in developping core aspects of our technology in the run of our upcoming demonstration plant (100-200 kg/day input plastic), contributing directly to the success of our mission to address the global plastics crisis.

Responsibilities will include:

• Lead the design and implementation of robust and safe control systems for our current pilot unit and the upcoming 24/7 demonstration plant (~100–200 kg/day plastic waste input), with responsibilities including:
  • Designing a flexible and learning-oriented instrumentation system (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow, weight sensors, gas analyzers) to ensure high-quality process monitoring and data generation.
  • Developing and integrating safety control loops to meet relevant safety standards and guarantee safe operation under all conditions.
  • Leading the preparation of instrumentation and control drawings, specifications, and overseeing related procurement activities.
  • Designing and implementing a fully remote-controlled system to operate and monitor all plant instruments and controls.
  • Managing the data acquisition and process control software ecosystem, ensuring a robust foundation for plant optimization and automation.
  • Overseeing setup, calibration, and testing of all critical instrumentation components, including gas sensors, mass flow controllers, temperature and pressure sensors.
• Actively contribute to the engineering design of the demonstration plant, collaborating on:
  • Development of mass and energy balances, equipment specifications, and process simulations.
  • Equipment sizing and selection, including instrumentation integration.
  • Creation and review of P&IDs, safety diagrams, and system layouts.
  • Participation in HAZOP studies and safety risk assessments.
• Collaborate closely with the broader Science & Engineering teams in a cross-functional, “one-team” culture, ensuring tight integration between process design, operations, and automation.

Your Skillset

• Minimum 2 years of experience in control systems, instrumentation, automation, or electrical engineering within the chemical, petrochemical, or related industries.
• Hands-on experience with lab-scale or industrial process setups; prior involvement in pilot or demonstration-scale plants is highly desirable.
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • PLC programming (e.g., Siemens S7, TIA Portal)
  • Process control systems (e.g., PCS 7, ABB, Emerson DeltaV)
  • HMI/SCADA platforms, process visualization tools
  • Industrial communication protocols (e.g., Profibus, Profinet, OPC UA)
  • Instrumentation and sensor technologies (flow, pressure, gas analysis, etc.)
• Additional experience with microcontrollers, pump control, measurement and control technologies, and CAD tools is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate technical issues and apply creative, hands-on problem-solving in fast-paced environments.
• Comfortable working in a small, agile team with a proactive and flexible mindset.
• Familiarity with gas-phase instrumentation, safety-rated systems (e.g., SIL, functional safety), and reactor instrumentation in chemical process environments.
• Fluency in English is preferred; alternatively, fluency in German is required.

Your Mindset

• Innovative and creative, ready to find solutions for problems no one has solved before.
• Passionate about impact and contributing to the fight against climate change.
• Adaptable and flexible, to embrace the fast-paced changing environment of start-ups.