Zaytounic is an early-stage climate-tech startup transforming olive industry waste into value — from irrigation water to biodegradable materials. We invite doctoral students for internship, to take part in our journey.
About Zaytounic
Zaytounic is a climate-tech startup transforming olive industry waste into high-value, sustainable products — from biodegradable plastics to clean irrigation water. We tackle urgent global challenges at their root: agricultural waste, water scarcity, greenhouse gas emissions, and dependence on fossil-based materials.
Although the olive oil industry is global, our R&D and operations are currently based in the United States, with California’s olive-oil sector as our first target market. We serve olive farmers and mill operators around the world.
At Zaytounic, we are:
- Environmentalists first — committed to climate resilience, circularity, and carbon-neutral solutions.
- Social-impact-driven second — designing technologies that uplift farmers and protect communities.
- Entrepreneurs and innovators third — building a company where science, design, and engineering come together to reimagine what materials and waste systems can be.
Doctoral interns will join a hands-on, interdisciplinary environment spanning microbiology, chemistry, materials science, design, engineering, and business. You’ll work directly with our founders and scientific team to develop real-world climate solutions, contribute to breakthrough research, and help build circular processes that redefine sustainability in the olive industry.
If you want to apply your expertise to a mission that blends science, impact, and innovation — and build solutions that matter to communities on the frontlines of climate change — we’d love to hear from you.
Intern Positions at Zaytounic
Zaytounic is developing microbial and engineering systems that convert phenol-rich olive mill waste into clean irrigation water, reduced-toxicity effluent, and high-value biodegradable polymers (PHA).
Interns will join an interdisciplinary team working at the intersection of bioremediation, biopolymer engineering, and circular materials for sustainable agriculture.
We offer four specialized tracks:
Microbiology / Bioprocess Intern
Focus: Microbial degradation of phenols and COD, and PHA accumulation.
Relevant fields: microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biochemical engineering.
Responsibilities include:
- Enriching and characterizing microbial strains and mixed cultures capable of phenol degradation (catechol ortho/meta pathways) and COD removal.
- Screening strains for stress tolerance and high PHA yield, informed by mechanisms of phenol-to-PHA conversion documented in recent literature.
- Conducting aerobic batch and fed-batch experiments to quantify phenol consumption rates, catechol buildup and inhibition, and PHB/PHA Accumulation.
- Profiling strains capable of producing different PHA classes (scl-PHA, mcl-PHA) to support material tailoring.
Chemistry / Materials Chemistry Intern
Focus: PHA extraction, purification, and polymer property development.
Relevant fields: chemistry, polymer science, materials engineering.
Responsibilities include:
- Extracting and purifying PHA using green chemistry methods.
- Characterizing polymer properties including molecular weight, crystallinity, thermal behavior, and mechanical performance.
- Developing application-specific PHA formulations, such as high-molecular-weight PHA for durable products or lower-molecular-weight PHA for films.
- Mapping how microbial strain selection and substrate type influence polymer structure and performance.
Engineering Intern (Bioprocess and System Engineering)
Focus: Process design, optimization, and pilot-scale system development.
Relevant fields: chemical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical/process engineering.
Responsibilities include:
- Designing and modeling process units for waste-to-PHA conversion, including aeration systems and immobilized-microbe biochar reactors.
- Supporting scale-up strategies through mass and energy balance Calculations.
- Building predictive models for phenol removal, COD reduction, and PHA production kinetics.
- Contributing to pilot system architecture for deployment in California olive mills.
Business and Strategy Intern
Focus: Commercial deployment and sustainability strategy.
Relevant fields: business, economics, environmental management, public policy.
Responsibilities include:
- Conducting market analysis for bioplastics, PHA, agricultural waste management, and water recovery technologies.
- Supporting customer discovery and mill engagement in California and Internationally.
- Performing cost and sustainability modeling, including comparisons to current treatment practices.
- Assisting with research and analysis and be part of business development projects.
Project Assignment
Projects are tailored during the recruitment process based on the intern’s academic background and professional aspirations.
Interns will receive direct mentorship from the Zaytounic team and contribute to active R&D and deployment programs. Most work is conducted remotely, with occasional travel depending on project needs.
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to independently design, plan, and execute experiments or analytical Workflows.
- Strong data analysis skills and ability to troubleshoot experimental protocols.
- Excellent time management and organizational discipline.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to document findings and present results.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary, research-focused environment.
Questions/Contact
Questions may be directed to info@zaytounic.com
-Zaytounic Team
How to Apply
This internship is offered through the Graduate School Industry Internship Program. Carefully read the eligibility and application information on the Graduate School Industry Internship Program webpage.