Deep-Tech Thermal Energy Storage
Senior Thermal Systems Design & Analysis Engineer
Corporate R&D Institute · 5+ years · Target experience: 7–12 years
Mission
Design the thermal and mass balances and operating conditions of the complete IsoTES® system, connecting calculations to actual equipment specifications and operating criteria. Own thermal design decisions so the system achieves its target output and efficiency.
Key Responsibilities
- Establish steady-state and transient thermal and mass balances for the IsoTES® system
- Model glycerol- and molten-salt-based storage and discharge cycles integrated with steam, hot air and ORC systems
- Set equipment design points and operating ranges considering heat sources, storage capacity, target output, efficiency and pressure losses
- Prepare and maintain the Process Design Basis, PFD, equipment and line lists, and process content for P&IDs
- Compare demonstration data with models, analyse performance gaps and propose design and control improvements
- Define boundary conditions and performance requirements for heat exchanger, mechanical and electrical/control engineers, and manage design interfaces
- Prepare calculations, design criteria, performance forecasts, test plans and test reports
Requirements
- A background in mechanical, chemical or energy engineering, or equivalent practical thermodynamics and heat-transfer expertise
- 5+ years designing and analysing thermal or energy systems, chemical plants or power plants
- Experience drawing technical conclusions that connect thermal and mass balances with equipment specifications and operating conditions
- Ability to document assumptions, limitations and uncertainties and independently deliver work in your discipline
Preferred
- Experience with thermal energy storage, CSP, heat pumps, ORC, steam or hot-air systems
- Experience with Python, MATLAB, EES, Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSYS or similar tools
- Experience with ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+ or similar CFD tools
- Demonstration-plant commissioning, performance testing and model calibration
- Experience accounting for high-temperature fluid degradation, corrosion and freezing risks in design and operation
About GIGAette
GIGAette is a KAIST spin-off deep-tech startup founded in 2023. We store industrial waste heat and renewable energy, then deliver heat, steam, chilled water and electricity at the temperatures industrial processes need.
Our core technology is IsoTES®, an isothermal thermal energy storage system. Instead of separate hot and cold tanks, a thermal boundary moves like a piston inside one tank to deliver heat at a constant temperature throughout discharge. Round-trip efficiency is over 95%.
Our headquarters, corporate R&D institute and demonstration site are in Jukdong, Daejeon. We are building two plants for different temperature ranges: a 3 MWh heat-transfer-oil plant for low- and medium-temperature waste heat, and a 0.7 MWh molten-salt plant at 550°C for high-temperature industries such as steel and aluminium. Core equipment completion is targeted for H2 2026, with full operation in early 2027.
We supplied a 1.5 MWh district-heating plant in Tsetserleg, Mongolia, verifying benefits for 188 people under KOICA CTS Seed 1. A follow-on Seed 2 project expands capacity to 6 MWh with KRW 700 million in funding and is now in local installation and commissioning. The system stores heat using entirely solar electricity to provide village heating. We are moving from proving the technology to supplying it and scaling up.
Why This Role Is Open
Why this role
Bring individual equipment calculations into one system design basis
When heat sources, storage media, pumps, heat exchangers and users operate together, equipment-level calculations alone cannot guarantee overall performance. We need an engineer who can establish inputs across disciplines and own system-level criteria.
Your impact
Your model becomes the equipment specification and operating standard
Thermal duty and operating ranges from your model set the starting point for heat exchangers, piping, instrumentation and control. A baseline model informed by demonstration data improves both design speed and performance prediction for the next plant.
What you get
Own the full cycle from modelling to site performance
Your calculations carry through equipment selection, commissioning, performance testing and model calibration. This is a senior individual contributor role: you establish the reasoning for your discipline without an in-house thermal analysis leader above you.
Funding secured
Key Milestones
2023.05
GIGAette incorporated as a KAIST faculty startup
2024.04
KOICA CTS Seed 1 started — Tsetserleg district-heating demonstration; KRW 300 million government support
2025.04
Tsetserleg demonstration plant opened — 1.5 MWh thermal storage; 188 direct beneficiaries
2025.08
First seed investment — KRW 900 million; KRW 900 million cumulative
2025.09
Deep-Tech TIPS selected — IsoTES® development and demonstration R&D; KRW 1.5 billion government support
2025.10
KOICA CTS Seed 2 selected — notified on 27 October; KRW 700 million government support
2025.12
KOICA CTS Seed 2 started on 10 December — expanding Tsetserleg district heating
2026.04
Follow-on seed investment — KRW 700 million; KRW 1.6 billion cumulative
2026.04
Eco Startup selected — Ministry of Environment carbon reduction and CCUS; KRW 80 million government support
2026.05
KODIT Start-up NEST selected — 19th cohort, deep-tech track; accelerator with no direct grant
2026.08
Startup City Project selected — Daejeon regional startup package; KRW 290 million government support
2026.08
Follow-on seed investment — KRW 500 million; KRW 2.1 billion cumulative
2026.09
Scale-up TIPS selected — MW-scale demonstration; approximately KRW 2 billion government support
2026.09
Climate-tech top innovation award at Modu’s Challenge — startup league winner; KRW 40 million prize
Current projects
Current openings
We are hiring for these roles to build our demonstration plants. If your qualifications overlap, apply to the closest match; we can discuss a better fit during review.
Working Conditions
How to Apply
Or apply by email: hr@gigaette.com
Hiring Process
Total: about 3 weeks · Application review results are communicated individually after receipt