Project Engineer Downstream, Capital Projects

Plantible Foods, Inc.; Vista (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Plantible Foods in Vista, California seeks a Project Engineer for Downstream, Capital Projects. You will own engineering and field execution of systems receiving biomass and converting to high-quality products.

You will bridge process experts with design and construction teams, spanning biomass prep, extraction, separation, filtration, purification, concentration, drying, packaging, CIP, and related utilities and controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• 5–10+ years in industrial capital projects in hygienic/process industries.
• Experience delivering equipment through specification, vendor selection, design integration, installation, commissioning, startup.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate multi-discipline interfaces (process, mechanical, piping, civil, electrical, controls).
• Lead design reviews with internal teams and external engineers.
• Develop scopes for equipment and systems; manage RFQs and vendor alignment.
• Maintain project deliverables, schedule, risks, and open items.
• Support commissioning, startup, and handover to operations.

Skills

Project management

Onsite construction leadership

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Strong analytical skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Process, Bioengineering, Food Engineering

Tools

PFDs & P&IDs

Vendor qualifications & FAT/SAT

Job description

Project Engineer Downstream, Capital Projects

Plantible Foods Vista, California, United States

About this position

Kindly be advised that we are handling the recruitment for this position internally and are not partnering with external recruiters.

We are a Biology Company

Plantible, backed by Astanor Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Piva Capital, Kellogg’s, 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:

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.

What you will be working on:

Connect the Engineering

• 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.
• Surface gaps early. 'Waiting on Engineering' is not a project plan.

Develop the Facility

• 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.

Buy the Equipment

• 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.
• Understand which decisions and long-lead packages are driving the project schedule and act before they become constraints.

Help Build It

• 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.

Make It Work

• 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.

Downstream Systems You Will Own

• 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.

What you bring to Plantible:

• 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.

Preferred experience

• 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.

Choose Plantible Foods

Joining Plantible means contributing to a sustainable future for all. We are a venture backed startup that is both spreading happiness amongst our employees and to current and future generations. We believe diversity creates uniqueness. Our team is composed of highly talented people with different interests and hobbies, which makes for a rich working environment.

At Plantible we are continually working on our offerings to foster the best team. Check it out!

• Competitive health and wellness benefits
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Discretionary Unlimited PTO Program
• Paid Holidays
• 401k Program
• 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
• And of course, lots of beautiful land for outdoor activities!

Plantible Foods is an equal employment opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, liability for military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you are interested in learning the status of your application, please note you will be contacted directly by the appropriate human resources contact person if you are selected for further consideration. Plantible Foods reserves the right to defer or close a vacancy at any time.