Project Engineer

We are a Biology Company

Plantible, backed by Astanor Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Piva Capital, Chipotle and Vectr Ventures, is a vertically integrated biology company that is unlocking the power in plants in service of people & planet. Our mission is to create solutions that empower customers to make sustainable and regenerative choices without compromising on quality. We are beginning with the food industry. Please visit our website to learn more about our mission and continued success: https://www.plantiblefoods.com/

How you will contribute:

Own the end-to-end delivery of Plantible’s capacity-expansion and tech-transfer projects—from greenhouse blocks, irrigation/water, and site/civil to downstream processing lines and utilities. As the owner’s engineer, you’ll turn scope into drawings, contracts, and execution plans; lead EPCs/GCs/OEMs and internal teams; and control schedule, cost, quality, safety from FEL through start-up. Near-term, you’ll expand our Eldorado, TX facility; longer-term, you’ll standardize and replicate a buildable module for future U.S. and international sites.

What you will be working on:

• Deliver projects from FEL through start-up: FEL-1/2/3, detailed design, procurement, construction, commissioning, performance validation, and handover.
• Executing design, specification, and construction management of manufacturing modules, including existing production facility upgrades
• Developing preliminary, and eventually honing, budgetary estimates and schedules for active and prospective projects
• Engaging and maintaining relationships with major equipment suppliers to optimize facility design
• Acting as the primary technical lead during negotiations of major surface facility equipment supply contracts
• Collaborating across technical and commercial teams to successfully deliver projects on time and on budget
• Identifying continuous improvement opportunities and executing ongoing continuous improvement measures
• Provide solutions and optimization support to operations to resolve day-to-day operational issues
• Develop projects and engineering design that improve the safety and operability of the modules.
• Lead MOC process for all activities that are directly supported including coordination with all support functions, submission of MOC, updating appropriate documents and completion of Pre-Start Up Safety Reviews (PSSR)
• Provide creative project options to meet critical timelines or capital requirements
• Support Project Teams and Operations in the commissioning and start-up of new/modified facilities
• Act as key interface to ensure regulatory and HSE compliance

What you bring to Plantible:

• BS+ in Mechanical, Chemical, Agricultural, Civil, Industrial, or related engineering
• 5–10+ years delivering industrial/infra capital projects (bioprocess, chemicals, energy, food & beverage, CEA/greenhouses, aquaculture). Full lifecycle (design → construction → start-up) required.
• Upstream & downstream literacy:
• Cultivation/CEA: greenhouse structures, environmental controls, fertigation/irrigation, drainage/site works, I&C/SCADA.
• Processing: pumps/tanks, heat exchange, MF/UF/RO, CIP, dryers, utilities (steam, air, chilled water, power), packaging.
• Project delivery toolkit: Bid events/RFQs, supplier selection/negotiation, contractor oversight; strong scheduling/cost/change management. (Experience leveraging third-party engineering & construction firms is a plus.)
• Standards & safety: PHA/HAZOP/LOTO, MOC/PSSR, awareness of structural/wind for ag structures; familiarity with relevant codes (ASME/API/NFPA/ISA-style) helpful.
• Communication: Sharp written/verbal updates, decisive logs, and cross-functional alignment.
• Bias to action: Hands-on field orientation for troubleshooting, commissioning, and operator training—comfortable managing multiple projects concurrently.
• Nice to have: PMP/PE/CM; CEA/hydroponics/ag civil experience; water reuse/stormwater design; modular replication; Spanish profi