Field Technician

About the roleOverview

An exciting opportunity to assist with the implementation and management of field-scale enhanced weathering research and carbon dioxide removal deployments. The Field Technician will provide field and laboratory support for ongoing field-based deployments in the southeast of Ireland. The Field Technician will join the wider Silicate science team and contribute to the development of a carbon removal quantification protocol.

Role

The person appointed to this role will be responsible for field-based sampling of enhanced weathering demonstration pilots located in the southeast of Ireland. The role will require expertise in fieldwork, especially in soil, soil-water, and surface-water sampling. Database management and/or geographical information System (GIS) skills to manage sampling would be advantageous.

RequirementsKey responsibilities

• Undertake and manage regular field-based sampling of soils, soil waters and surface waters in field trials in the southeast of Ireland

• Willingness to work primarily in rural Wexford with occasional overnight stays as fieldwork requires

• Liaise with landowners and other local stakeholders on a day-to-day basis

• Organise and store field samples

• Complete laboratory-based measurements of a wide range of geochemical parameters, including, but not restricted to, soil and water pH, total alkalinity, electrical conductivity, soil cation exchange capacity, leachable cations, soil and surface water cation and anion concentrations

• With guidance from the team, help to develop new analytical protocols for emerging methods to quantify weathering rates and carbon removal potential of soil amendments

• Support the science team to deliver the goals of the project and maintain adequate stocks of consumables and chemicals in the water/soil geochemistry lab

Required qualifications and skills

• BSc/MSc or equivalent degree in one of the following: Geology, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Soil Science or a related subject

• Familiarisation with GIS software, such as QGIS, and statistical programming languages, such as R and/or Python

• Flexible approach to work and a willingness to learn new field- and laboratory-based methods

• Experience of laboratory techniques relevant to the measurement of basic geochemical parameters on soil and water samples

• Knowledge of good field and laboratory practices

• Ability to work cooperatively with landowners and with the broader Silicate team

• Excellent record keeping and communication skills (oral, written, presentation etc.), including use of Microsoft software

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills including a proven ability to work to deadlines

• Engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by Silicate and/or our research partners

• Adaptability and ability to work flexibly in a dynamic environment

• Full EU driving licence

While we are looking for someone with these skills, you do not need to have all of the listed qualifications to be a brilliant addition to our team. If you have not worked on this specific research topic, but feel that your chemical engineering, geochemistry or soil science expertise could help us to push the frontier of this breakthrough carbon dioxide removal research, please consider applying.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is competitive and will depend on many factors including experience, education, and expertise. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package with generous employee share options, health insurance and pension contributions.

Diversity and inclusion

We are looking for people from diverse backgrounds who can bring many unique skills, perspectives and mindsets to our company. With your help, we are trying to build a workplace where people feel respected, ideas are encouraged, and original thinking is the norm. Research suggests that qualified people from historically marginalised groups may self-select out of opportunities if they feel they do not meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive in this role to apply. We especially welcome applications from female candidates.

About Silicate

Silicate is a terrestrial enhanced weathering company accelerating a natural geological process—the weathering of minerals—to durably sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide and amend soil pH in farmland. The company mills basic materials, applies them to farmland, and measures the carbon removal it enables, facilitating companies to achieve their net zero ambitions, and agribusinesses to reduce and remove greenhouse gas emissions in their value chain, while also helping farmers to increase productivity by optimising soil pH for crop growth. Silicate is a Breakthrough Energy Fellows innovator fellow, an XPRIZE Carbon Removal Top 20 team, and is headquartered in Ireland with operations in Ireland and Illinois, US.

You can read about us in:

The Irish Times

The Times

Northwestern University

The Chicago Tribune

New Scientist

RTÉ

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