Lead Scientist / Chief Science Officer (CSO)
Yama
Posted on May 9, 2025
Lead Scientist / Chief Science Officer (CSO)
About Yama
Yama is tackling the greatest challenge of our time: Climate Change. Our mission is to remove 1 billion tons of CO₂ by 2050 through the development of the most energy-efficient and scalable Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology.
DAC is essential to limit global warming to 1.5°C, but current technologies are resource-intensive and unsustainable at scale. At Yama, we’ve developed a game-changing approach that integrates electrochemistry and low-grade heat regeneration, breaking thermodynamic and kinetic barriers to enable scalable and affordable CO₂ removal.
Founded in May 2023, Yama is a Delaware-incorporated spinout from Deep Science Ventures, supported by the Grantham Foundation and backed by top-tier US and EU investors. Based in Paris, our leadership team—CEO Aurélie Gonzalez, CTO Valentin Fougerit, and Head of Science Harry Macpherson—are driving this bold climate mission forward.
Join us to help build the scientific foundations of tomorrow’s climate solution.
The Role: Lead Scientist / CSO
We are seeking an exceptional Lead Scientist / CSO to shape and accelerate the scientific development of our novel DAC technology. You will lead our scientific strategy and roadmap, helping us unlock core scientific challenges to meet our aggressive targets for energy consumption (kWh/tCO₂) and capture cost ($/tCO₂).
This is a pivotal role at the intersection of chemistry, electrochemistry, and process innovation. You’ll work closely with the founding team, direct Yama’s scientific priorities, and build out a world-class scientific team as we scale from lab to pilot to FOAK plant.
Key Scientific Challenges You’ll Tackle
Solvent Innovation: Develop or identify non-toxic organic or inorganic chemistries with fast absorption kinetics and high bicarbonate conversion efficiency.
Membrane-Free Regeneration: Design and validate electrochemical solvent regeneration strategies that eliminate the need for bipolar membranes, improving cost and stability.
Electrodialysis Cell Design: Optimize a two-compartment electrodialysis cell, including membrane selection and stack architecture, to reach a cell potential below 0.8 V.
Key Responsibilities
Define and Own the Scientific Roadmap: Translate high-level goals into a robust research plan and deliver key scientific milestones.
Lead R&D Programs: Design and lead experimental campaigns, screening programs, and modeling activities to validate our approach and accelerate TRL progress.
Build and Mentor the Science Team: Recruit and develop world-class scientists and foster a culture of rigor, ambition, and curiosity.
Drive Collaboration: Interface with academic labs, industrial partners, and technology providers to advance key aspects of the process.
Represent Yama Scientifically: Contribute to scientific publications, represent Yama at scientific conferences, and engage with the broader CDR and electrochemistry communities.
What You Bring
Background:
PhD in chemistry, electrochemistry, or chemical engineering.
5+ years of experience in an R&D or scientific leadership role, ideally in startup or industrial environments.
Deep expertise in electrochemistry or solvent chemistry related to carbon capture.
Skills:
Track record of solving complex scientific problems and delivering experimental breakthroughs at TRL <5.
Ability to think across disciplines and scale—from molecules to systems.
Fluent in English; French is a plus but not mandatory.
Mindset:
Scientific rigor and creative thinking in equal measure.
Passion for climate solutions and deeptech innovation.
Excited to work in a fast-paced, high-stakes, early-stage environment.
Why Join Yama?
Mission with Impact: Solve one of humanity’s biggest challenges using science-driven innovation.
Ownership & Influence: Drive the scientific direction of a deeptech startup with global ambition.
Growth: Build your team, grow with the company, and shape an entirely new industry.
Location & Package: Based in central Paris, with a competitive compensation package including equity.
Ready to Lead the Science?
We’re looking for someone who combines scientific excellence with bold ambition. If this sounds like you, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining why you’re the perfect fit and how you’ll help Yama succeed to hello@yamacarbon.com.
Let’s pioneer the future of CO₂ removal together.