Lead Engineer

CREW•New York, NY

3d•$120,000 - $180,000•Onsite

About The Position

CREW is seeking a Lead Engineer to serve as the technical authority for the design, construction, and delivery of its systems. The role owns process-mechanical and controls engineering for deployments, including design iteration, reliable manufacturing and procurement, and safe installations at wastewater plants. The Lead Engineer heads the engineering function within Operations and partners with project managers and field staff to move deployments from signed contracts through reliable long-term operation. This is a hands-on leadership role suited to a process or mechanical engineer experienced in taking hardware from design through fabrication to field operation. The position is onsite at CREW’s Brooklyn, New York office and requires 20–40% travel. The role also contributes to the long-term strategy for system design, procurement, and fleet management as CREW scales.

Requirements

6–10 years designing, building, and delivering process-mechanical hardware systems; water or wastewater sector experience is preferred.
3+ years leading or technically directing engineers and technical staff, including mentoring and setting standards.
BS in Mechanical, Civil, Environmental, or Chemical Engineering, or an equivalent hands-on background.
Track record of delivering multiple concurrent deployments or capital projects on time and on budget.
Experience with process controls and instrumentation, including sensors, PLCs/SCADA, and control logic; experience with dosing or chemical feed systems is preferred.
Comfort working with data and software teams to connect hardware with data-driven optimization.
Strong vendor, contractor, and consultant management skills.
Able to travel 20–40%.
Practices extreme ownership, leads with empathy, and has a growth mindset.

Nice To Haves

PE license.
Experience at a utility, EPC, or water/wastewater equipment OEM.
Product or strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

Act as the final technical authority for process, mechanical, and controls design, including sign-off on designs, submittals, and deployment readiness.
Own the design and troubleshooting of fluid handling, air, dust and powder handling, and pressure systems, including safety reviews of hazards and safeguards.
Own control and instrumentation system design, collaborating with data and software teams to use sensor data to drive dosing and operations.
Oversee supplier and manufacturer selection, qualification, and management to ensure systems are robust, safe, and field-proven.
Manage long-lead items, inspections, factory acceptance testing, and nonconformance resolution.
Work with project management to deliver technically sound deployments on time and on budget.
Develop repeatable pre-deployment processes for site assessments, technical scoping, contractor statements of work, and readiness reviews.
Provide technical direction during build, installation, commissioning, and handoff, and raise risks to leadership and clients early.
Set engineering standards, documentation, commissioning and maintenance procedures, and change control across sites; lead technical escalations from the field.
Use field performance and reliability data to inform design improvements.
Serve as the technical lead with utility engineers and operators during design reviews, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
Train utility clients to operate CREW systems confidently using standardized handoff materials.
Help shape long-term strategy for system designs, procurement, and fleet management, including standardization, scaling, and potential expansion of in-house manufacturing, inventory, and supply chain capabilities.