VP of Manufacturing

Kunin Technologies • Chattanooga, TN

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Kunin Technologies is revolutionizing the critical mineral supply chain by implementing advanced separation technologies to capture value from overlooked resources. Metals are everywhere, in solar panels, smartphones, electric vehicles, but as ore grades plummet globally, traditional extraction methods are failing. China dominates critical mineral markets by developing superior separation technologies that extract value from materials American mines discard as waste. Utilizing Kunin Technologies' breakthrough performance, ion-exchange media significantly more value can be produced from each resource, reducing waste, and unlocking metal abundance. To achieve metal abundance, humanity must bring separation science down its own Moore’s Law: fix the idiot cost index for micro and nano scale separation materials. This requires mass manufacturing novel ion-exchange media form factors which previously struggled from high costs. We are automating the roll-to-roll processing of ion-exchange media. This is a similar serial production challenge to battery electrodes. You are responsible for execution: taking the demonstration line from design freeze through procurement, construction, installation, commissioning, and nameplate operation, on schedule and on budget. You own the plan, the critical path, and the outcome. You will lead a team of ten to deliver this line by the end of 2027. This demonstration line becomes the basis of a greenfield manufacturing facility in Series A – B, at 10X the scale, with automated material handling and integrated back–end exchange media equipment packaging. By 2030, we want to be the world’s largest volume producer of ion-exchange media.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering field - chemical, mechanical, or industrial engineer preferred.
• 8+ years delivering capital projects or production lines with direct ownership of schedule and budget - battery, converting, chemical plant, or similar process-line buildouts preferred.
• Has personally taken a production line or plant from purchase order to nameplate operation.
• Experience hiring and leading multi-disciplinary engineering and production teams.
• Experience with facility design, utilities, permitting, and site selection.
• Ability to work in fast paced and demanding atmosphere
• Creative problem solving that brings together reactive chemistry, radiochemistry, material handling, fluid mechanics disciplines.
• Position located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• Travel to partners' facilities may be intermittently required.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

Responsibilities

• Execution of the roll-to-roll line build: master schedule, budget, procurement of long-lead equipment, contractor management, installation, and commissioning through nameplate operation
• Day-to-day leadership of the Chattanooga engineering team; stage-gate reporting to the founders; de-risking the critical path
• Facility readiness: power, cooling, ventilation, chemical storage and handling, waste streams, permitting, and code compliance
• Vendor and contractor accountability: FATs and SATs, installation subcontractors, and service agreements
• Safety ownership across construction and operations: procedures, training, and compliance from the first delivery to steady-state production
• Series A – B expansion groundwork: greenfield site selection and project siting, facilities design at 10X scale, and hiring of dedicated production staff

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager