Vice President of Engineering

Activate; Cambridge, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Found Industries, based in Cambridge, MA, seeks a Vice President of Engineering to lead the engineering organization and scale technologies from R&D to commercial deployment. The role bridges science and robust industrial systems, coordinating with EPCs, fabricators, and partners to deliver reliable, safe, and scalable solutions.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years in engineering leadership within industrial technology, strong judgment, and hands-on experience across design, construction,

Qualifications

• Education: B.S. in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering; advanced degree is a strong plus.
• 15+ years engineering leadership experience in industrial technology, heavy industry, process industries, or complex hardware systems.
• Experience scaling technology from pilot or demonstration to commercial deployment.
• Hands-on experience with the design, construction, commissioning, startup, or operation of industrial facilities.
• Experience working with EPC firms, engineering contractors, equipment suppliers, and fabricators.
• Experience building and leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Ability to work on-site full-time on-site in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Responsibilities

• Scale technologies from R&D through pilot and commercial deployment.
• Translate experimental results into system requirements, designs, equipment specifications, and integrated engineered systems.
• Lead development and integration of complex industrial systems spanning process equipment, electrochemical systems, controls, utilities, and balance of plant.
• Own engineering execution across the full project lifecycle, including design, procurement, fabrication, construction, commissioning, startup, and performance validation.
• Manage relationships with EPC firms, engineering contractors, equipment suppliers, and fabricators while maintaining strong internal technical ownership.
• Establish fit-for-purpose engineering processes, including design reviews, document and change control, technical risk management, and design verification.
• Ensure designs appropriately balance safety, performance, reliability, operability, cost, schedule, constructability, and maintainability.
• Build and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary engineering team and develop a culture of technical rigor, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with R&D, Operations, and Commercial leadership to define development priorities, technology readiness, resource requirements, and deployment plans.
• Represent Found’s technical capabilities and scale-up strategy with customers, industrial partners, government stakeholders, and other external parties.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Systems engineering

Project management

Communication

Risk management

Safety awareness

Education

B.S. in Chemical Engineering

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Advanced degree

Job description

Company Overview:

Found Industries is a Cambridge, MA-based industrial technology company building new critical supply chains from resources and infrastructure hiding in plain sight. Launched out of MIT, Found develops and deploys technologies that unlock critical materials and dispatchable clean energy from overlooked industrial feedstocks.

The company operates through two complementary business units: Found Metals and Found Energy. Found Metals recovers strategic materials, including gallium, from existing industrial processing streams. Found Energy converts aluminum, including low-grade and scrap material, into a fuel for behind-the-meter industrial heat and power. The two businesses reinforce one another: Found Metals expands domestic supplies of critical materials used in advanced energy technologies, while Found Energy creates new applications and demand for those materials. Together, they form the foundation of a broader industrial platform focused on strengthening U.S. energy and materials security.

At Found Industries, we are building the industrial capabilities needed for a more resilient and self-reliant future. We believe secure access to critical materials and energy is foundational to economic strength, national security, and long-term prosperity, and we are looking for talented people motivated by that mission to join us. For more, visit https://found-industries.com/.

The Vice President of Engineering will lead Found’s engineering organization and own the scale-up of Found’s technologies from laboratory and sub-scale systems through pilot, demonstration, and commercial deployment. This role is accountable for engineering across the full project lifecycle, including translating R&D into system requirements, developing integrated process and equipment designs, coordinating with EPC and other engineering partners, supporting fabrication and construction, and carrying systems through commissioning, startup, and operation.

A central responsibility will be building the bridge between Found’s scientific and R&D capabilities and the robust industrial systems required for commercial deployment. The ideal candidate has firsthand experience scaling first-of-a-kind industrial technology and understands that successful engineering extends well beyond issuing drawings. They bring strong technical judgment, disciplined engineering practices, effective leadership, and a willingness to stay close to the hardware, the team, and project execution.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Lead Found Industries’ engineering organization and cross-functional technical teams to scale technologies from R&D through pilot and commercial deployment.
• Partner with R&D to translate experimental results into system requirements, process designs, equipment specifications, and integrated engineered systems.
• Lead development and integration of complex industrial systems spanning process equipment, electrochemical systems, controls, utilities, and balance of plant.
• Own engineering execution across the full project lifecycle, including design, procurement, fabrication, construction, commissioning, startup, and performance validation.
• Manage relationships with EPC firms, engineering contractors, equipment suppliers, and fabricators while maintaining strong internal technical ownership.
• Establish fit-for-purpose engineering processes, including design reviews, document and change control, technical risk management, and design verification.
• Ensure designs appropriately balance safety, performance, reliability, operability, cost, schedule, constructability, and maintainability.
• Build and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary engineering team and develop a culture of technical rigor, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with R&D, Operations, and Commercial leadership to define development priorities, technology readiness, resource requirements, and deployment plans.
• Represent Found’s technical capabilities and scale-up strategy with customers, industrial partners, government stakeholders, and other external parties.

Qualifications

Required

• Education: B.S. in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field; advanced degree is a strong plus.
• Experience: 15 plus years engineering leadership experience in industrial technology, heavy industry, process industries, or complex hardware systems.
• Demonstrated experience scaling technology from pilot or demonstration systems toward commercial deployment.
• Hands-on experience with the design, construction, commissioning, startup, or operation of industrial facilities.
• Experience working with EPC firms, engineering contractors, equipment suppliers, and fabricators.
• Experience building and leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of integrated process systems, systems engineering, and interfaces between multiple unit operations.
• Ability to translate R&D and emerging technology into safe, reliable, and commercially viable engineered systems.
• Strong technical judgment, organization, communication, and risk-management skills.
• Safety-conscious, proactive, and effective in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Ability to work full-time on-site in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Preferred Attributes

• First-of-a-kind pilot, demonstration, or commercial project experience.
• Mining, mineral processing, metals refining, hydrometallurgy, or chemical-process industry experience.
• Experience implementing new technology within operating industrial facilities.
• Familiarity with industrial equipment certification, UL/CSA requirements, or field labeling.
• Prior experience in a hardware or industrial technology startup.

Found Industries does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.