Contract Materials & Testing Lead - sCO₂ (Turbomachinery)

About Us

At Arbor Energy & Resources Corporation ("Arbor Energy"), we're creating technology to power our lives while protecting the planet that sustains them. Our advanced power systems deliver clean, reliable baseload electricity with zero operating emissions—modular, fuel-flexible, and engineered for the realities of today's energy demand. At the core is a supercritical CO₂ turbine with integrated carbon capture, designed to bring carbon-neutral power online quickly at meaningful scale.

Our team includes aerospace engineers, combustion experts, and systems thinkers with a shared goal: to build technology worthy of the world we want to live in. While many of us began our journeys looking to the stars, we're applying that expertise here at home to deliver dependable, emission-free baseload power and a future of lasting abundance.

If you share our values and are drawn to rigorous work with lasting impact, we'd love to learn more about you. Come build what the future will run on.

Steward our planet

: We think on the scale of ecosystems, designing solutions with impact measured in CO₂ reduction, biodiversity preserved, and human quality of life.

Lead with Love

: We choose kindness and empathy in all we do. When faced with challenges, we act with care, knowing that it's always the right time to be kind.

Explore the Uncharted

: Bold innovation is in our DNA. We embrace new ideas and unconventional paths to build a future of abundance.

Contract / Consultant

Time Commitment: ~10–20 hrs/week for ~3 months, then ad-hoc support

Arbor Energy is developing a supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) power turbine system with high-temperature turbomachinery and heat-exchange hardware operating in aggressive CO₂-rich environments.

We are seeking a senior materials and testing consultant to stand up and drive an initial materials test program, translating expert guidance into a practical, cost-effective test plan that fills key data gaps for our prototype program.

This role is focused on defining what to test, how to test it, and where to test it — not long-term materials research.

Responsibilities

- Help screen and down-select candidate materials for:

- Hot-gas-path components (e.g., printed superalloys such as Haynes 282, Co-Cr / FSX-414 class alloys)

- Recuperator, piping, and pressure-boundary materials

- Bond coats and TBC systems (aluminide, EB-PVD / APS)

- Define a focused materials test matrix, including:

- CO₂ environmental exposure tests

- Short-duration creep screening

- Limited strain-controlled LCF / hold-time screening (as appropriate)

- Identify and engage commercial test labs and coating vendors

- Create clear test requests / statements of work

- Interpret results and translate them into actionable design guidance (screening factors, material recommendations, next steps)

Requirements

- ~10+ years experience in high-temperature materials engineering, ideally in:

- Gas turbines (aero or industrial)

- Power generation

- Aerospace propulsion or similar

- Hands-on experience with:

- Creep and rupture testing

- Low-cycle fatigue (strain-controlled preferred)

- Oxidation / corrosion / environmental exposure testing

- Familiarity with:

- Nickel-based and cobalt-based superalloys

- Embrittlement, oxidation, carburization mechanisms

- Bond coats and thermal barrier coating systems

- Comfortable working in prototype / limited-data environments

Preferred Qualifications

- Additive manufacturing of high-temperature alloys

- sCO₂ or non-air working fluids

- Prior interaction with commercial test labs or national labs

Engagement Structure

- Consultant or contractor role

- Initial focus: ~3 months to define and launch the test program

- Follow-on support as needed to interpret results and adjust plans

- Remote work acceptable; occasional lab or supplier visits may be helpful

Deliverables

- A clear, executable materials test plan

- Early test campaigns launched with the right labs

- Reduced uncertainty in material and coating selection for prototype hardware

- Practical guidance feeding directly into turbomachinery design decisions

$75 - $95 an hour.

The hourly rate is subject to applicant's skills, qualifications, and experience.

Our Commitment

Arbor Energy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. Solving global energy challenges requires a wide range of perspectives and experiences, and we are committed to building a team that reflects the world we serve.

Our hiring process is designed to be accessible, fair, and focused on the work that matters most for this role. Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the hiring process and employment—please let us know if you need one.