Digital Twin & Simulation Engineer

We are Skytree

Skytree enables a transition to a world with cleaner Air for everyone. We do this by developing and deploying smart technology that captures atmospheric carbon dioxide, enabling its use or storage to combat climate change and aid society and businesses around the world.

Born out of the European Space Agency (ESA), we are a global team of highly talented scientists, engineers and business professionals, supported by an experienced management team. Our working culture is based on a dynamic and smart approach to business with an open and understanding attitude to others and a desire to expand the boundaries of what is possible.

As we enter a new phase of growth, we are looking for a Digital Twin & Simulation Engineer to continue on this journey with us.

Your role

Let’s start off with giving you some context in which the role sits. The team you’ll join, being the System Process Engineering team, is part of the bigger Technology organisation which covers everything (from R&D and Engineering up to Testing). Together, these multidisciplinary teams drive the development of our cutting-edge Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology.

As said, this role sits within the System Process Engineering Team, which currently has two main focuses:

• Process Design & Optimization: This is all about designing a process - functionally including adsorbing, and desorbing the sorbent as well as logistically distributing the sorbent and purifying desorbed gas - in such a way to reach certain levels of productivity while having a process that’s energy efficient. It’s about finding that sweet spot.

• Real-World simulation and preparation: As we’re about to deploy our product, it’s key to configure our product in such a way that it clicks within the use case of our customer. While these can be different from customer to customer (e.g. whether there’s hot water available as an energy source, the voltages available, environmental conditions like humidity levels), they all affect the real-world performance of our product.

You as a Digital Twin & Simulation Engineer will work on both of these challenges. Read down below how you’ll contribute to these!

You’ll make an impact by

• You will have 3 main focus areas: Digital Twin Development & Real-World Integration, Process Optimization & Hardware Support and System Architecture & Deployment.
  
  1. Digital Twin Development & Real-World Integration

  • Build and scale comprehensive Digital Twins of our process by creatively connecting various continuous process modeling platforms and engineering software suites with Discrete Event Simulation (DES) environments, moving beyond basic continuous flow to accurately map out our "batch-continuous" system dynamics.

  • Apply hands-on, industrial real-life-equipment experience to ensure your models accurately reflect the physics, quirks, and limits of physical hardware.

  • Model the kinetics and thermodynamics of solid amine sorbents under predictable and constantly shifting environmental conditions.

  2. Process Optimization & Hardware Support

  • Drive machinery performance by identifying inefficiencies, optimizing the system for lower energy consumption, faster cycle times, and extended operational lifespans for the materials and the equipment.

  • Run large-scale sensitivity studies and multi-objective optimizations to figure out exactly how to tune the machine for maximum real-world performance.

  • Translate your digital insights into concrete, data-driven design recommendations for the hardware team to guide R&D priorities.

  3. Systems Architecture & Deployment

  • Phase 1: Use modeling for design-space exploration and R&D optimization.

  • Phase 2: Transition models into operational monitoring tools that use real-world sensor data to predict machine health and performance.

What we’re looking for

• Proven expertise as a Process Engineer with a strong track record of building process simulations (steady state and dynamic) and Digital Twins using Python, process simulators and DES frameworks.

• Basic knowledge and understanding of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and version control using GitHub.

• Hands-on experience with real, industrial-scale equipment. You know how to translate real-world mechanical behaviors, limits, and sensor data into simulation environments.

• Deep proficiency executing Mass and Energy Balances (MEB) to track flows, efficiencies, and overall system energy consumption.

• An analytical approach to practical optimization, with a natural instinct for driving down energy use and maximizing hardware yield.

• Nice to have: 

  • Prior experience in translating technical performance (energy use, cycle times, etc.) into financial metrics (CapEx, OpEx, and Levelized Cost of Capture) via Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) frameworks

  • Experience in taking a process model out of R&D and deploying it as a live operational twin for a system, preferably carbon capture under variable weather conditions.

  • Industry background in Direct Air Capture (DAC), Carbon Capture (CCUS), HVAC, or large-scale gas separation.

• Resourceful problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced R&D environment, comfortable navigating ambiguity and making sound engineering decisions even with limited or imperfect data.

• Cross-functional communicator, able to distill complex simulation data into design recommendations for mechanical and hardware teams.

What you can expect

Apart from working with great colleagues and a competitive package, you can also expect:

• A unique start-up environment offering organic professional and personal growth at one of the most innovative cleantech companies of Europe!

• A diverse (38+ nationalities) and fun team to work with.

• Travel cost reimbursement.

• Recharge with 25 vacation days, plus a little extra when life throws something special your way.

• Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid work.

Questions?

Need some more info, or simply have a question for us? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Talent Partner Sjoerd Jacobs (sjoerd.jacobs@skytree.tech).