Yama - Founder’s associate
Yama
Posted on Sep 2, 2025
Yama - Founder’s associate
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 innovated a game-changing approach that integrates two CO2 desorption technologies, breaking through 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, France, our leadership team—CEO Aurélie Gonzalez and CTO Valentin Fougerit—are driving this bold climate mission forward.
Join us to help build a tech-driven solution to save the planet.
The Role: Founder Associate
This is a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of business and technology, directly supporting Yama’s CEO and CTO in scaling operations across HR, Sales, and Fundraising.
As Founder Associate, you will be a central figure in Yama’s journey, ensuring that the company grows its team, builds trust with customers and investors, and keeps a strong culture while executing on ambitious goals.
Key Responsibilities
1. HR & Operations
Manage the full onboarding process for new hires and support day-to-day needs of the team.
Actively contribute to building and maintaining company culture.
Lead the recruitment process, coordinate with candidates, and participate in final decisions.
Represent Yama at career fairs and recruitment events.
Support purchases, budget management, and logistics for the tech lab, office space, and pilot site.
Adapt and optimize team tools (Notion, Slack, GDrive, etc.) to improve efficiency.
2. Sales & Communication
Act as Sales Development Representative (SDR) for carbon credits buyers: sourcing leads, qualifying opportunities, and engaging prospects.
Support the CEO in events and conferences, helping to represent Yama externally.
Coordinate the organization of Yama’s presence at events (booths, panels, networking).
Contribute to external communications and visibility (newsletters, LinkedIn, media opportunities).
3. Fundraising & Investor Relations
Contribute to building and structuring the data room for investors.
Support the due diligence process during fundraising.
Conduct market research and benchmarking to strengthen investor materials.
Help maintain strong and transparent communication with Yama’s current and future investors.
What You Bring
Background
Master’s degree from a top Business School or Engineering school.
Knowledge in climate change, clean tech, or industrial processes is a strong plus.
Skills
Strong understanding of both business and technical operations.
Excellent organizational and multitasking skills.
Strong transversal capabilities—able to bridge disciplines and think from molecules to systems.
Fluent in English; French is a strong plus.
Mindset
Collaborative and team-oriented, with a genuine capacity to listen and support others.
Solution- and results-driven, with a sense of service to the team and mission.
Humble yet ambitious—ready to challenge yourself, empower others, and lead by example.
Proactive, resourceful, and comfortable with uncertainty and change.
Why Join Yama?
Mission with real-world impact: Tackle one of humanity’s biggest challenges with a company that values scientific excellence and service.
Ownership & empowerment: Shape the scientific future of a high-potential deeptech startup.
Personal & professional Growth: Build your team, grow your leadership skills, and play a key role in a new industry.
Central Paris location & competitive package: The role can start as an internship or short-term contract and should lead to a long-term contract with attractive compensation including equity.
Ready to Lead the Electrochemistry?
We’re looking for someone who combines scientific excellence with bold ambition. If you have both a strong mind and a big heart (IQ + EQ), we’d love to hear from you. Please send your CV and a cover letter to hello@yamacarbon.com, outlining why you’re the perfect fit and how you’ll help Yama succeed.
Let’s pioneer the future of CO₂ removal together.