Engineering Co-Op Student

Location: Calgary, AB. This position is based on-site at CURA’s Calgary laboratory and pilot facilities, Monday through Friday. Occasional remote days for analysis and reporting can be arranged with your mentor.

Type: Co-op work term, full-time (40 hours per week)

Term: 12 months preferred; 4- and 8-month terms will also be considered. Start date: January, 2027 (flexible)

About CURA

CURA is a Canadian climate technology company working to change how one of the world’s most essential materials is made. Cement is responsible for approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions. Our mission is to eliminate those emissions by becoming the default technology for cement production everywhere.

Our electrochemical process splits limestone into lime and a pure stream of CO₂ for storage or use, with the potential to reduce emissions by up to 85% while lowering energy use and manufacturing costs. Designed to be retrofit-ready, it integrates with existing feedstocks, infrastructure and operations. CURA is working toward bringing a 30,000-tonne-per-year commercial demonstration facility online in 2028.

Led by experienced climate technology founders, we collaborate with cement producers, engineers, researchers and industry partners around the world to move breakthrough technology from the lab to industrial scale. We are building a team of curious scientists, inventive engineers and practical problem-solvers who enjoy tackling big challenges together. We combine scientific rigour with an entrepreneurial culture that values collaboration, creativity, learning, and fun.

Safety is fundamental to how we work. CURA maintains a strong safety culture, and every team member completes occupational health and safety orientation and role-specific training.

The Role

CURA is looking for engineering co-op students who want to help take a new cement decarbonization technology from the lab bench to the pilot plant and, from there, to a 30,000-tonne-per-year commercial demonstration. Each co-op student is paired with a CURA engineer or scientist who acts as their mentor and day-to-day supervisor, and works as a full member of that person’s project team. Placements are matched to your interests and our project needs in one of four areas: electrochemical technology scale-up, pilot and minipilot operations, clinker production, or process engineering scale-up. A 12-month term gives you time to take ownership of a defined piece of work and see it through to results that the team will use.

Key Responsibilities

Electrochemical Technology Scale-Up

• Assist with assembling, testing and tearing down electrochemical cells and electrolyzer stacks as designs move from bench scale toward pilot scale
• Run electrochemical tests (for example polarization curves, impedance and long-duration stability tests) and keep accurate test records
• Support R&D on electrodes, membranes and electrolytes, including sample preparation and post-test characterization

Pilot and Minipilot Operations

• Support commissioning, operation and troubleshooting of CURA’s minipilot and pilot systems
• Help prepare test plans and operating procedures, run test campaigns, and collect samples and process data
• Assist with equipment maintenance and modifications, instrumentation and data acquisition, working alongside technicians and vendors

Clinker Production

• Prepare and characterize limestone feedstocks and lime products for clinker production campaigns
• Help organize and interpret chemistry and quality data (for example XRF, XRD and particle size) and maintain CURA’s feedstock database
• Support coordination of clinker trials with external labs and industry partners

Process Engineering Scale-Up

• Support mass and energy balances, process modelling and equipment sizing for pilot and demonstration plant design
• Help prepare and review engineering documents such as PFDs, P&IDs, equipment datasheets and vendor quotes
• Assist with techno-economic and carbon intensity analyses

All Placements

• Analyze data, prepare figures, and summarize results in short reports and team presentations
• Other duties as required to achieve CURA’s milestones

Safety & Documentation

• Must demonstrate attention to safe work practices
• Complete CURA’s safety orientation and the training required for the lab and pilot areas you work in, and follow SOPs, hazard assessments and PPE requirements
• Keep complete and organized lab notebooks, data files and test records
• Help write and update standard operating procedures, and report hazards, near misses and incidents promptly

Collaboration & Communication

• Must work well in a team setting and effectively collaborate across an interdisciplinary team
• Communicate progress, results and problems clearly to your mentor and project team
• Demonstrated aptitude for problem solving, troubleshooting, collaboration, and innovation
• Handle confidential information responsibly, and raise potential inventions or new ideas with your mentor so that CURA’s IP is protected
• Present your work to the technical team at the end of your term

Initiative & Professionalism

• Take initiative, manage your time across competing tasks, and ask for help when you need it
• Interact professionally with vendors, contractors and partners when supporting your mentor’s work
• Contribute to a culture of honesty, transparency, innovation, and safety

Qualifications

Required:

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program in chemical, mechanical or process engineering (or a closely related engineering discipline) and eligible for a co-op or internship work term through your institution
• Completed at least two years of your engineering program by the start of the term
• Coursework in at least some of: thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering or electrochemistry
• Comfortable with hands-on lab, shop or plant work, and keen to learn new equipment and techniques
• Working proficiency with Excel or Python for data analysis

Nice to Have:

• Previous co-op, research or lab experience, especially in electrochemistry, materials, minerals or cement processing, or pilot plant operations
• Experience with process simulation (Aspen Plus or HYSYS), CAD (SolidWorks or similar), or MATLAB
• Familiarity with P&IDs, instrumentation, or control and data acquisition systems
• Lab characterization experience such as XRD, XRF, SEM or electrochemical testing
• Interest in climate technology and decarbonizing heavy industry

What We Offer

• Competitive co-op compensation
• One-to-one mentorship from a CURA engineer or scientist
• Hands-on experience scaling a first-of-a-kind technology from the lab to pilot and demonstration scale
• A flexible, mission-driven culture
• A chance to make a measurable impact on global climate solutions

We know great candidates don't always check every box, if you are excited about this role and CURA's mission, we would love to hear from you.

CURA is an equal opportunity employer committed to accommodating candidates throughout the recruitment process. Please advise us of any accommodation needs.