Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 13300; Flight Crew Type 1800
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Weather
While taxiing out departing ZZZ; ATC advised that a Lear Jet had just reported moderate turbulence along our route.  We acknowledged and briefly discussed the topic and after looking at radar; decided we were safe to depart since our returns showed only moderate rain. After take off and while climbing through 2;000 ft to level at 3;000 ft.; we encountered severe turbulence. The aircraft was at 230 knots and began to shake rapidly and violently.  Items in the cabin that were not secured moved about freely and our passengers voiced concern. I reduced power to idle to attempt to slow to maneuvering speed as the airplane violently became marginally controllable. We were assigned a level off at 3;000 ft.; however; this seemed an unlikely event as I had tried to level from our turn and pushed forward on the elevator; but the plane continued to climb at idle power with the elevator forward.  When we recovered; we were at 3;900 ft and immediately began our descent back to 3;000 ft as we advised center. The radar only painted green returns and although yellow returns were also adjacent to us; we were at least 10 miles from any of those yellow returns. We were given climb instructions as we leveled at 3;000 and given a controller change.  As we climbed and began to top some of the clouds 9;000 feet we encountered a similar event in essentially clear air just at the tops of the clouds in level flight. Again; I reduced power to idle and tried to maintain wings level and altitude; but the aircraft was only marginally controllable and violently being pitched and rolled. Both events lasted approximately 10-20 seconds and we then reported both events to ATC center as severe turbulence.  Again; radar showed nothing significant on our second encounter.  Once on the ground; the aircraft was inspected for damage and none was found.
Flight Crew flying CE-525 aircraft report severe turbulence after takeoff.