If you are still looking for a summer opportunity, a Carleton alum, Eric Manley ’11, is hiring an intern to help launch a new cleantech startup lab in Seattle starting this July. This unique role spans wet chemistry, mineral processing, and pyrometallurgy, making it a perfect fit for geology majors. The internship is pretty flexible in terms of term and start date (no earlier than July 1 though). They also expect to be opening a permanent Jr. Scientist position in the Fall that the intern will be eligible to apply for.
R&D Intern Mafix is on a mission to transform the world’s most abundant rocks and minerals into the next generation of fertilizers. Our products help farmers maintain and improve crop yields while permanently removing CO₂ from the atmosphere through enhanced rock weathering, delivering a dual return that conventional agricultural products cannot.
We produce our silicon fertilizer using spare capacity in cement rotary kilns, making it costcompetitive without building new infrastructure. Applied to soil, it releases plant-available silicon and other nutrients that strengthen crops against climate stress, drought, and pests, while sequestering carbon as the mineral dissolves.
With core chemistry published in Nature, our pre-seed funding secured, and key partnerships in place, we are scaling fast: moving from pilot production to a 1,000-tonne commercial run in 2027. We are looking for team members excited to unlock the power of abundant rocks towards a climate positive and food abundant future!
Position Details:
We are looking for a current student or recent graduate who is interested in diving into the world of clean-tech startups and learning all the pieces that come together to attack big industrial opportunities!
This paid internship will work closely with the Head of Technology as we set-up our lab capabilities, run foundational experiments, and set the course for Mafix’s technology development.
The R&D Intern will report to the Head of Technology and be full-time onsite in Seattle, WA.
Responsibilities:
• Independently execute pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical R&D experiments after training
• Independently execute analytical testing after training
• Help with a myriad of lab setup tasks, including equipment commissioning, lab facility setup and others alongside the Head of Technology
• Analyze and present results and implications from R&D experiments
Qualifications:
• Experience working in a laboratory setting
• Experience with analytical chemistry tests, wet chemistry, or equipment setup preferred
• Current BA/BS student or graduate from a science or engineering field.
• Self-motivated, able to work independently and has strong attention to detail.
Location and Internship Term:
• Start date: flexible (July 1 or later)
• 8-15 week internship term. Onsite in Seattle, WA
• 40hr/week
If interested & you meet qualifications, please send resume and intro to: Eric Manley: eric@mafix.ag