Name, job title, and start date at Metafuels?
I’m Fabian Dhont, Plant Design Engineer, and I’ve been with Metafuels since March 2024.
Tell us about your background before joining Metafuels.
Before Metafuels, I completed my Bachelor’s in Design and Production Technology at Odisee in Ghent and then pursued a Master’s in Electromechanical Engineering at KU Leuven. For my first professional role, I worked as a Piping Design Engineer at Worley in Antwerp and Ghent. It was an amazing learning experience, giving me exposure to the various aspects of petrochemical plant design on both international and domestic projects. After a few years, I decided to broaden my horizons and explore opportunities abroad – that’s when I got lucky and joined Metafuels in Zurich.
What’s your role at Metafuels?
As a Plant Design Engineer, I’m in charge of the physical layout of our plants, ensuring everything is safe, reliable, and cost-effective. I work closely with our process engineering team on plant layouts, 3D model visualisations, and engineering reviews, while also conducting constructability and operability studies. I’m involved in aerobrew studies, proposals, and projects, providing insight into plant design, planning, and cost estimates. During construction, I visit the site to conduct “as-built” checks, making sure everything aligns with our engineering specs. I also engage with vendors and partners during project development, building valuable relationships along the way.
For our demonstration plant, I’m reviewing the mechanical design, going over vendor quotes for instrumentation, and doing 3D model reviews to ensure the design is functional and safe.
What excites you about the aviation industry?
I’ve always had a passion for travelling and discovering new places, and a lot of my bucket list locations can only be reached by plane. But with that comes the understanding of the environmental impact. What excites me is being able to apply my engineering skills to help reduce aviation’s carbon emissions – that’s a big part of why I joined Metafuels.
What’s your favourite part about working at Metafuels?
Being part of something that has the potential to make a real difference in reducing global emissions is truly special. Working at a startup like Metafuels gives you the chance to connect with people from all sorts of backgrounds and experience levels, whether it’s our CEO or even our company lawyer – you’re always learning and evolving.
And finally, what do you hope to achieve at Metafuels?
I want to make a tangible impact on reducing global emissions, grow as an engineer, and feel genuinely fulfilled by the work I’m doing
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