By Adila Butt, Head of People at Origen
In celebrating all the significant engineering and commercial milestones Origen has achieved in 2022, we also recognise that none of this could have happened without the passion, talent and commitment of the people who make Origen what it is.
This year, we have worked hard to build and develop our rapidly growing, diverse and multi-disciplinary team. Not only have we more than doubled our headcount, but we’ve also attracted global talent from across the UK, US, and EU and filled a diverse range of commercial, engineering, operational, finance and people roles. Most importantly we’ve united a group of like-minded people behind a shared vision of “The Atmosphere: Restored”.
Getting to where we are today is a huge accomplishment, but I know there is still much work to do and many roles to fill in 2023.
Of course, that also means that Origen has many fantastic new opportunities for talented people looking for a new challenge and a chance to become part of the climate change solution.
The new year is a common time for people to start thinking about resolutions and changes they want to make in their life and/or career. A study from Gartner earlier this year suggests that many employees are increasingly seeking greater purpose and want to contribute more to society. What could be more purposeful than developing the technology to save our planet?
In the climate tech space, there is no shortage of career paths you could take. We need all green tech to ‘win’, so solutions in carbon dioxide removal (CDR), renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable building materials, afforestation and others will all be crucial in some way to mitigating climate change.
One of the great things about starting a career in the climate tech industry is that you’re not alone. There are lots of resources and communities like Work on Climate, MCJ Collective and Climatebase, to name a few, that will help you build your network, learn and gain experience.
Take our CEO, Ben Turner. Inspired by the clear need for CDR and what he saw as a tangible business opportunity in the carbon removal industry, he left a career in investment banking and hedge funds to bring his knowledge, skills and experience to Origen.
Our project manager Jonty Smith began his career in mechanical engineering and is also an Olympian, having represented South Africa in rowing at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Whether your skills are in commercial strategy, engineering (e.g., process, EC&I), R&D, project management or operations… the chances are, they’re highly transferable and not a barrier to entry.
Why work in CDR at Origen?
In April 2022 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) laid out the stark truth that humanity now has an “unavoidable” need to remove carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere in addition to other solutions. CDR serves several purposes:
If you want more information on why CDR is so crucial, this TED talk and this video from World Resources Institute will tell you everything you need to know.
But what makes Origen different in the CDR space?
First, it’s our technology. One of the biggest barriers to scaling CO2 removal is high current costs. Our low-cost, highly scalable zero-carbon lime (ZerCal) is a game changer, unlocking multiple pathways to carbon removal from the air and the oceans in a simple, yet elegant process.
Secondly, it’s our commercial pathways. Origen has already signed pre-purchase agreements with Stripe for direct air capture (DAC) alongside 8Rivers. Our technology has been shortlisted in a project with Singleton Birch by the UK government. And we have a pilot that has already been built. The versatility of our technology means we are taking a 50-year view of the problem and are ready to pivot our approach and resources to deliver impact.
Finally, it’s our culture. We’re working hard to make Origen a great, diverse, equitable and inclusive place to work that is breaking the mould of traditional engineering companies. We are innovative by nature and our culture reflects this.
New year, new direction
If you’re interested in finding out more about joining Origen on this amazing journey please connect with me on LinkedIn, email careers@origencarbonsolutions.com or click here to take a look at the roles we’re actively recruiting for at present.
Get your year off to the right start and become part of the climate change solution!