Winter 2025

Product Chemistry R&D Co-op

Posted on 9/16/2025

Sublime Systems

Sublime Systems

51-200 employees

Produces low-carbon cement without a kiln

Compensation Overview

$25/hr

Cambridge, MA, USA

In Person

Category
Biology & Biotech (2)
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Requirements
  • Pursuing a B.S. in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science or engineering, chemical engineering, materials chemistry, or a related field.
  • Strong knowledge of materials science fundamentals, including basic materials chemistry and mechanics of materials concepts.
  • Able to perform lab work including preparing cement material test specimens, setting up and operating testing equipment, and recording results.
  • Able to lift objects up to 50 lbs.
  • Familiarity with physical and chemical characterization techniques such as compression testing, SEM, XRD, XRF, BET, and ICP is a plus.
  • Strong presentation and communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to listen, distill information, consult, and suggest new approaches.
  • Ability to pay close attention to detail, focusing on accuracy and quality, without losing sight of the bigger picture.
  • Balance, perspective, and a good sense of humor.
Responsibilities
  • Performing experiments in the laboratory including preparing and testing samples of Sublime Cement and cementitious materials
  • Measuring cement material properties such as heat release, compressive strength, setting time, and flow characteristics in Sublime Systems’ laboratory
  • Milling Sublime products in R&D ball mill to measure the effectiveness of additives and milling parameters on performance
  • Analyzing data, interpreting results, and presenting findings to Sublime’s team
  • Contributing to the development of Sublime’s process through literature reviews
  • Championing safety, especially in the development and execution of experimental processes
  • Fostering Sublime Systems’ reputation by delivering innovative solutions
  • Helping to develop a supportive, innovative, and dynamic company culture

Sublime Systems makes low-carbon cement for construction. Its cement is produced without a kiln using an electrochemical process, delivering similar performance to traditional cement but with much lower CO2 emissions and sold by the metric ton. Unlike conventional cement makers, it avoids energy-intensive high-temperature kilns to cut energy use and fossil fuel use over the product’s lifetime. The goal is to scale low-emission cement toward zero-emissions construction, helping infrastructure owners, engineers, architects, contractors, and ready-mix plants reduce environmental impact while maintaining performance.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Late Stage VC

Total Funding

$120.9M

Headquarters

Somerville, Massachusetts

Founded

2020

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Microsoft commits to 500,000 tonnes long-term cement purchase agreement.
  • $75M investments from CRH and Holcim accelerate Holyoke plant to 1M tonnes by 2028.
  • Suffolk Technologies invests and pre-purchases capacity from Holyoke facility.

What critics are saying

  • Trump administration eliminates $87M grant within 3-6 months.
  • Holcim and CRH replicate technology across 1,000 plants in 24-36 months.
  • Holyoke plant delays to 2029 forfeit first-mover advantage in 18-24 months.

What makes Sublime Systems unique

  • Electrochemical process eliminates kilns using renewable electricity at ambient temperature.
  • Meets ASTM C1157 performance specs, hardening stronger than OPC as drop-in replacement.
  • Upcycles calcium silicate minerals and industrial wastes into zero-waste cement.

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Benefits

Remote Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

17%

1 year growth

22%

2 year growth

27%
Cement Optimized
Oct 29th, 2025
Sublime Systems Appoints New CEO

Sublime Systems appoints new CEO. Sublime Systems, a U.S. manufacturer working toward clean, innovative cement production, promoted Chief Operating Officer Rob Davies to the position of chief executive officer, and added two other board positions to accelerate the company's growth to commercial manufacturing. The role leverages Davies' three decades of industrial leadership experience and recent period working with the Sublime team as advisor and COO. He succeeds co-founder Dr. Leah Ellis, who transitions from the CEO role after successfully leading Sublime from its 2020 spinout from the lab of her co-founder, MIT Professor Yet-Ming Chiang. Sublime has advanced to pilot operations, poured Sublime Cement in multiple construction projects, secured competitive funding, attracted cement majors as co-development partners to scale globally, and is now readying for its first commercial factory. "Leah's vision to reshape cement production brought together a remarkable team and ecosystem of partners, and is what first drew me to Sublime over a year ago," said Davies. "I am honored to partner with the Sublime leadership to apply my manufacturing experience and realize the company's vision through this next phase of commercial growth and industrial expansion." Davies started his career and spent 20 years in the cement industry, working for Blue Circle, Lafarge and Holcim - a current Sublime strategic partner - and led a network of nine cement plants across the UK. He then spent 12 years in the global chemical industry, leading networks of activated carbon plants and carbon black facilities before bringing his experience to startups. Additionally, Sublime announced board member Bill Brady has been appointed executive chairman. Brady has scaled multiple complex industrial and chemical manufacturing technologies and raised hundreds of millions in capital for companies including Kula Bio and Monolith Materials. Joining Brady is new board member Dr. Brian Baynes, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a successful chemical engineer, founder, VC, and current chairman of Verdox.

World Cement
Aug 6th, 2025
STACK pilots low-carbon cement in data centre build

STACK Infrastructure in collaboration with Sublime Systems announce the completion of a pilot pour of ultra-low-carbon cement at a STACK Prince William County, Virginia campus.

AggBusiness
May 26th, 2025
Microsoft signs long-term cement deal with Sublime systems

Microsoft has entered into an agreement to purchase over 500,000 tonnes of cement products from Sublime Systems.

FinSMEs
May 21st, 2025
Sublime Systems Receives Investment from Suffolk Technologies

Sublime Systems receives investment from Suffolk Technologies.

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