The Role

As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) you will provide technical leadership in all aspects of our business. Working directly with the CEO you will act as both a technology and business expert, making decisions impacting current and future success of the company. Activities will span operational and strategic aspects of the business with a focus on the development, commercialisation, deployment, and continuous improvement of Metafuels technologies starting with aerobrew sustainable aviation fuel technology.

Job description

As a chemical and process technology leader within the process industry, the CTO is able to create the technology vision for the company. Based on that you will set technology strategy and will oversee all technology and technological resources. You will manage the technology budget making the necessary investments to align the organization with its vision for future technological needs.

Strategic thinking and strong business acumen are essential in this role. As a member of the Senior Executive Management team you will be familiar with a variety of business concepts relating to the process technology licensing business. You will be the internal and external face of the technology and communicate with the Senior Executive Management team, employees, technology partners, suppliers, stakeholders, and also build customer relations on CTO level to ensure continuous improvement of our technology offering and development of our client services including operational support.

The CTO will have the expertise to support our growth strategy and ensure that the organisation has the technology resources and capabilities required at all stages and to identify and assess new business opportunities and cultivate partner relationships. This will require building and leading a technology and technology delivery organisation.

Responsibilities

Develop market focused technical aspects of the company’s strategy to ensure alignment with its business goals;
Overall management of the technology development pathway from R&D through to full commercialisation;
Management of company’s intellectual property (IP) including definition and implementation of a focused IP protection strategy;
Manage the technology relationships with technology partners and technology development programme;
Develop technical opportunities, new solutions and help to drive customer solutions;
Discover and implement new technologies that yield competitive advantage;
Provide strategic leadership for establishing technology platforms, partnerships, and external relationships;
Adequately staff, lead and manage the technology organisation, including of process & technology and R&D;
Effectively manage interfaces with key technology related suppliers;
Monitor KPIs and budgets to assess technological performance;
Develop, track, and manage the R&D budget, including the annual operating and capital budgets for technology development programmes, staffing, and operations;
Support and assist (potential) clients to optimize our technology in terms of efficiency and profitably;
Use stakeholders’ feedback to inform and introduce necessary improvements and adjustments to technology;
Ensure that the company’s products are always aligned with the market needs, taking into account the “voice of the customer” in maintaining the product market specifications
Communicate technology strategy to partners and investors;
Support of the technology licensing business development and sales process;
Support in project delivery, commissioning, start up and testing.

Qualifications and experiences

Degree in Chemical Engineering, or Process Engineering or industrial Engineering with major in process technology.
Minimum 15 years’ experience in the oil & gas, refining, petrochemical or chemical process industries.
Minimum 5 years’ proven experience as a CTO, technical director, or similar leadership role within the chemical, gas, petrochemical and/or refining process industry;
Broad knowledge of process technology and engineering, preferably in the hydrocarbons industry;
Sound understanding of key elements in on-going energy transition processes and good insight and overview on integrated process operations in the process industry;
Prior experience overseeing architecture and engineering for enterprise-wide technology platforms.
Excellent communication and multiple stakeholder management skills;
Visionary and strategic thinker with a “can do”, enterprising attitude;
Problem-solving, opportunity driven mindset;
Experience with integrating teams across multiple disciplines and managing a geographically dispersed workforce;

Company description

Metafuels is a start-up company founded by three experienced energy professionals. The company has developed a breakthrough power to fuels process, aerobrew, for the production of sustainable aviation fuel following the methanol to jet pathway. The company has raised the technology to TRL 6 through pilot plant operations and has installed a 50l/d methanol to SAF demonstration plant located in Switzerland to bring the technology to TRL7. In addition the company is engaging with various strategic partners for the development of the first 10 t/d pioneer projects that will produce the first aerobrew eSAF and bio-SAF for the market. The company also has ambitions and plans for implementing its technology platforms for new and improved processes for products and markets beyond SAF. The company has a relaxed informal style but has a steely determination to achieve its objectives.

Location: The position will be based in Switzerland in the Zürich area.