Vice President of Engineering

Stircor; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Stircor in Chattanooga, TN, seeks a Vice President of Engineering to lead the engineering organization and own the technical integrity of biosolids thermal drying and indirect gasification systems. This hands-on technical executive role focuses on design basis, drawings, standards, and engineering decisions affecting throughput, uptime, and emissions.

The role requires steering discipline leads across mechanical, electrical, and controls, shaping staffing, mentoring engineers, coordinating

Qualifications

• 15+ years in process/thermal engineering with deep expertise in thermal treatment systems and energy reuse (drying, gasification, combustion, heat recovery, ORC).
• Experience leading a multi-discipline engineering team through design, build, and commissioning.
• Track record owning a process design basis in a permitted, regulated environment (air permits, emissions).
• Wastewater/biosolids sector experience strongly preferred.
• Willing to be based in Chattanooga; relocation support available for the right candidate.

Responsibilities

• Own the process design basis for thermal drying, indirect gasification, and energy-recovery systems (heat exchange, thermal oxidation, ORC/energy reuse).
• Direct engineering design, standards, drawings, and specifications across all projects.
• Run design reviews and engineering QA; make the final technical call on design trade-offs.

Skills

Leadership

Process engineering

Team management

Thermal treatment

Regulatory compliance

Job description

Chattanooga, TN — with travel to operating and development sites (FL, GA, TN)

DIRECT REPORTS

Lead Mechanical, Electrical, and Controls Engineers · Gasification Engineer · Wastewater Specialist · Energy Engineer

POSITION SUMMARY

The Vice President of Engineering leads the engineering organization and owns the technical integrity of Stircor’s biosolids thermal drying and indirect gasification systems. This is a hands-on technical executive role for a specialist in thermal treatment systems and energy reuse: the design basis, the drawings, the standards, and the engineering decisions that determine whether each plant meets its contracted throughput, uptime, and emissions numbers.

Because Stircor owns and operates what it builds, engineering quality compounds: a design decision made this year is an operating cost or a warranty condition for the next two decades.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Leadership

• Own the process design basis for thermal drying, indirect gasification, and energy-recovery systems (heat exchange, thermal oxidation, ORC/energy reuse).
• Direct engineering design, standards, drawings, and specifications across all projects.
• Run design reviews and engineering QA; make the final technical call on design trade-offs.

Team Management

• Lead the discipline leads (mechanical, electrical, controls) and specialist engineers; manage staffing and workload across projects.
• Untangle current dual-hat assignments by building out the discipline bench (mechanical lead, electrical/controls split).
• Develop engineering career paths, mentoring, and hiring plans as the portfolio scales.

Delivery & Operations Support

• Coordinate engineering-to-construction handoffs with Plant Development and support commissioning and startup.
• Support permitting, insurance/underwriting packages, and warranty conditions with defensible engineering documentation.
• Troubleshoot field performance issues and feed lessons learned back into standards.

R&D Coordination

• Partner with the President, R&D & Special Projects on technology maturation, pilots, and transitioning proven R&D into standard designs.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 15+ years in process/thermal engineering with deep expertise in thermal treatment systems and energy reuse (drying, gasification, combustion, heat recovery, ORC).
• Experience leading a multi-discipline engineering team (mechanical, electrical, controls) through design, build, and commissioning.
• Track record owning a process design basis in a permitted, regulated environment (air permits, emissions compliance).
• Wastewater/biosolids sector experience strongly preferred.
• Willing to be based in Chattanooga; relocation support available for the right candidate.

SUCCESS IN THE FIRST 12-18 MONTHS

• Design standards, review cadence, and engineering QA formalized across all active projects.
• Discipline-lead structure staffed so no engineer is carrying two lead roles.
• Energy engineer hired and productive under this role’s direction.
• Clean engineering handoffs on the next plant delivery, with commissioning issues traceable and closed.