Project Engineer Downstream, Capital Projects

Plantible•Austin, TX

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Plantible is developing the next generation of our commercial production facilities. The Downstream Project Engineer will own the engineering and field execution of the systems that receive harvested biomass and convert it into consistent, high-quality products. You will sit between Plantible's process experts and the people designing, supplying, and building our facilities. Your scope includes biomass preparation, extraction, separation, filtration, purification, concentration, drying, powder handling, packaging, CIP, and the process utilities and controls that support them. You do not need to be the deepest expert in every unit operation. You do need enough technical depth to identify gaps, challenge assumptions, connect the right people, and turn a developing process into systems we can procure, build, commission, and operate.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Process, Bioengineering, Food Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Typically 5-10+ years supporting industrial capital projects in food, ingredients, biotechnology, biochemical, pharmaceutical, fermentation, or another hygienic process-manufacturing environment.
Direct experience with several of the downstream unit operations listed above and a working understanding of how they interact as one process.
Experience delivering process equipment through specification, vendor selection, design integration, installation, commissioning, and startup.
Strong understanding of sanitary process systems, hygienic design, CIP, process utilities, instrumentation, controls, and commissioning.
Ability to read and challenge PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, layouts, utility balances, construction drawings, controls documentation, and vendor submittals.
Highly organized and able to keep parallel design packages, interfaces, decisions, and deadlines moving.
Willingness to spend significant time onsite during construction, commissioning, and startup.

Nice To Haves

Owner-side project engineering or greenfield facility experience.
Experience in alternative protein, food ingredients, biomass processing, fermentation, biotechnology, or biochemical manufacturing.
Hands-on experience with centrifuges, membrane filtration, purification, concentration, activated-carbon treatment, drying, powder handling, sanitary piping, or CIP.
Experience with FAT, SAT, water runs, performance testing, process validation, and operational handoff.
Experience scaling an evolving process and converting lessons learned into repeatable standards.

Responsibilities

Translate requirements from Plantible's Engineering, R&D, Operations, Maintenance, and Food Safety teams into clear scopes and deliverables for external engineering partners and vendors.
Coordinate the disciplines required for your systems, including process, mechanical, piping, civil, structural, electrical, controls, utilities, and facility infrastructure.
Understand where systems interface, make sure every interface has an owner, and drive technical decisions to closure.
Maintain engineering deliverables, decisions, dependencies, risks, and open items against the overall project schedule.
Support FEL, conceptual design, FEED, and detailed engineering for assigned systems and project packages.
Coordinate development and review of Basis of Design documents, equipment lists, utility requirements, layouts, specifications, drawings, and other core project deliverables.
Lead design reviews with Plantible subject-matter experts, Operations, and external engineers.
Challenge designs for safety, constructability, operability, maintainability, hygienic design, cost, and unnecessary complexity.
Translate lessons from Ranchito into engineering standards and repeatable design packages for future Plantible facilities.
Develop technical scopes and bid packages for equipment, materials, and engineered systems.
Coordinate RFQs, technical evaluations, bid leveling, vendor selection, and technical alignment before purchase.
Manage vendor drawings, calculations, data, documentation, and interfaces with the broader facility design.
Track major equipment and materials from specification through fabrication, FAT, delivery, installation, and startup.
Serve as Plantible's engineering point of contact during construction for assigned systems and scopes.
Coordinate RFIs, submittals, design clarifications, field changes, and vendor questions.
Maintain a strong onsite presence during active installation: walk the work, verify progress, identify constraints, and drive issues to resolution.
Resolve conflicts between drawings, equipment, contractors, and Plantible requirements without losing design intent.
Support quality reviews, mechanical completion, punch lists, system turnover, and documentation closeout.
Plan for commissioning and startup before construction is complete.
Coordinate vendor startup requirements, FATs, SATs, commissioning, performance testing, and operator training.
Work alongside Operations and Maintenance to make sure systems are documented, tested, safe, and ready to operate.
Verify that assigned systems achieve required capacity, performance, quality, and reliability.
Capture problems and lessons learned and turn them into better standards for the next facility.
Biomass receipt, storage, conveyance, maceration, extraction, and feed preparation from the defined upstream handoff point.
Centrifugation and other solid-liquid separation systems.
Microfiltration, ultrafiltration, diafiltration, membrane concentration, purification, activated-carbon treatment, and polishing systems.
Process tanks, sanitary pumps, valves, heat exchangers, hygienic piping, and clean-in-place systems.
Drying, powder handling, product transfer, and packaging systems.
Chilled water, steam or thermal systems, compressed air, RO and process water, waste streams, and other process utilities serving downstream operations.
Process automation, instrumentation, controls, recipes, equipment integration, and data requirements.
Interfaces with upstream biomass delivery, site utilities, laboratories, warehousing, food safety, maintenance, and facility infrastructure.

Benefits

Competitive health and wellness benefits
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
Discretionary Unlimited PTO Program
Paid Holidays
401k Program
Career Stipend
Career development and growth opportunities
Working in a rapidly growing, flexible and entrepreneurial environment
Team building and company-wide events
Financial support with your relocation, if necessary, ensuring a smooth transition
Lots of beautiful land for outdoor activities!