Nikita Pratap

About Nikita Pratap

Senior process and program engineer with 5+ years of experience leading pilot, scale-up, and first-of-kind technology programs across clean energy, carbon capture, and advanced materials.I specialize in taking technically complex R&D efforts and turning them into executable, production-ready programs. My work sits at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing readiness, and product strategy.What I do best:• Lead pilot and scale-up programs from concept through commercialization• Own technical roadmaps, milestones, and cross-functional execution• Synthesized data into decision-ready KPIs used by leadership to guide roadmap and Go-to-Market strategy• Bridge R&D, operations, and commercial teams in ambiguous environments• Drive durability, yield, cost, and system performance improvementsI have hands-on experience across carbon capture, advanced materials, bioplastics, and energy systems, including experimental design, process optimization, analytical quality control, and lifecycle impact analysis.I am exploring senior IC or lead roles in clean energy, climate tech, and advanced manufacturing where I can own execution and help scale meaningful technology.

Experience

1. Lead Engineer

   Baker Hughes

   Jan 2023 — Present

   Led pilot and R&D programs supporting Direct Air Capture technology, owning execution from experimental design through product and commercialization strategy.• Drove data-driven performance analysis that reduced sorbent degradation by 20% under DAC operating conditions.• Designed and implemented analytical QC protocols to support scale-up and manufacturing readiness.•Owned project management responsibilities including milestone planning, resource allocation, and cross-functional coordination.• Translated complex datasets into KPIs and decision frameworks used for R&D prioritization and executive planning.• Partnered with leadership on go-to-market strategy, scenario modeling, and funding prioritization for DAC products. • Integrated regulatory, lifecycle assessment, and emissions analysis into system-level decision making.

Education

• Stanford University School of Engineering

  Certificate of Achievement, Product Management

• Michigan Technological University

  Master of Science - MS, Chemical Engineering

  2017 — 2019

• Shivaji University

  Bachelor of Engineering (BE), Chemical Engineering

  2013 — 2017