CTO/Technical Co-founder - Wave-powered desalination for offshore environments

We are looking for a CTO / Technical Co-founder to help build Havstraum’s core technology and lead its development from concept to deployment. This is an opportunity to shape both the technology and the company from an early stage. As CTO, you will: - Lead the technical development of the system architecture - Drive prototype development and experimental validation - Navigate key engineering trade-offs across mechanics, hydraulics, offshore constraints, and durability - Define and execute the technical roadmap toward pilot deployment - Work closely with the founding team on strategy, partnerships, fundraising, and long-term product direction - Help build the engineering culture and technical foundation of the company We are looking for someone excited by hands-on deep-tech development, rapid learning, and solving difficult real-world engineering problems in uncertain environments. **What We Offer** - Opportunity to join early and help shape a deep-tech company from the ground up - Work on a globally important challenge at the intersection of water, energy, and sustainability - Hands-on involvement in developing a novel offshore mechanical system - Support from KTH Innovation, including coaching, network, and venture resources - A highly ambitious, low-ego, and execution-oriented founding environment - Significant influence on both technical and strategic direction **This is a co-founder opportunity and should be viewed as an entrepreneurial venture with both significant upside potential and the risks that come with joining an early-stage startup.** As we are in the early stages of building the company, we are currently not able to offer a full-time market salary. The initial engagement may instead be structured as a part-time consultancy assignment, depending on your availability, experience, and the company's development needs. The primary form of compensation during this phase will be equity ownership in the company, giving you the opportunity to share in the long-term value creation. As we secure funding, gain commercial traction, and scale the business, the intention is to transition key team members into salaried full-time roles. ## Skills & Requirements We believe you will be a strong fit if you have several of the following: - Master's or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Offshore/Marine Engineering, Energy Systems, or a closely related field. - Atleast 3-5 years of experience in the design, development, or analysis of complex physical or engineering systems. - Ability to think at system level while remaining hands-on in execution - Experience working across multiple engineering disciplines - Strong problem-solving ability and comfort operating in uncertain environments - Builder mindset with a willingness to iterate, test, and take ownership - Interest in early-stage technology development and entrepreneurship Experience in one or more of the following is particularly valuable: - Desalination systems or water technologies - Marine or offshore engineering - Hydraulics, pressure systems, or fluid-driven energy systems - Prototyping and experimental testing - Startup or early-stage venture environments We care as much about mindset and ambition as exact background. If you are excited by the mission and believe you can contribute strongly to building the technology, we encourage you to reach out. ## Great Place to Work - Business Development Coach from KTH - Centrally located office space (KTH Campus) - Be part of the thriving KTH Innovation Community - Access to mentor and investor network - Workshops and service packs from KTH partners - Proof-of-concept funding - Access to Media Studio and Makerspace - IP and legal counseling ## About the company [Havstraum](https://www.havstraum.com/) is a KTH-based deep-tech startup developing wave-powered desalination systems for offshore environments. Our mission is to enable reliable, scalable, and sustainable freshwater production from the ocean. We are focused on solving one of the key bottlenecks in ocean-based desalination: reliable long-term operation in harsh marine conditions. By combining wave energy conversion with durability-focused mechanical design, we aim to create systems capable of continuous freshwater production with low infrastructure dependence and scalable deployment potential. We are currently building the core team to take the technology from concept to pilot deployment. This Company is currently supported by [KTH Innovation](https://www.kth.se/en/om/innovation/kth-innovation-1.956839) and part of a batch in [KTH Innovation Launch](https://www.kth.se/en/om/innovation/program-extra-stod/launch). KTH Innovation Launch is a 12 month program to accelerate the development of promising startup projects from [KTH Royal Institute of Technology](https://www.kth.se/en). Startup projects receive extensive support from inhouse Business Development Coaches as well as additional support such as office space, community activities, team development support, IP and legal counseling, access to industry, mentor and investor networks. Rimmie Duraisamy \| Contact Person _Mail_ [Send e-mail](mailto:rimmie@kth.se) [I'm interested](https://emp.jobylon.com/applications/jobs/360873/create/) Graphic rendering with WebGL2 has been disabled or is not supported by your graphic card. The map cannot be displayed. [+](https://emp.jobylon.com/jobs/360873-havstraum-ctotechnical-co-founder-wave-powered-desalination-for-offshore-environments/# "Zoom in") [−](https://emp.jobylon.com/jobs/360873-havstraum-ctotechnical-co-founder-wave-powered-desalination-for-offshore-environments/# "Zoom out") ###### Havstraum Stockholm \| On-site [Visit website](https://www.havstraum.com/)