PLANT ENGINEER

At Soli Organic, we want to change the way people access organic, sustainable, and affordable food by revolutionizing what nature does best: growing healthy, flavorful plants. We take what we know about the biology of growing the best produce, and then use technology to optimize nature's processes. We do all of this in our proprietary, USDA-certified organic, soil-based, indoor system. For us, everything begins with soil; it is the foundational building blocks that enable us to provide an ecosystem in which plants can thrive.Over the past 30 years, we've seen this mission spread beyond our wildest dreams. Today, we are an integrated food solutions group with a nation-wide presence, and an ambitious drive to continue to have a positive impact for consumers. So how did we reach this far? We are constantly learning from nature, and we are taking those lessons in innovative ways and creative solutions that will serve the community of consumers who are looking for flavorful, healthy, and sustainable produce options.Soli Organic is a leading CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) company in the US. As part of the planned national expansion into CEA facilities, Soli Organic recently completed the construction and commissioning of a growing operation in Anderson, SC. This facility houses the entire lifecycle of our 100% USDA certified organic offerings from Soil to consumable product. Soli Organic is looking for a qualified individual to be the Plant Maintenance Engineering Manager.This individual will have the opportunity to work on blending the cutting edge of agriculture with industrial automation. This individual will be responsible for both the facility maintenance upkeep and advancement, as well as be the owner of the on-site equipment from both a proactive (preventative maintenance, inspections, stress tests, spare parts) and reactive (repair and replace). This individual will manage an existing maintenance team and be responsible for creating and elevating current skill levels to best-in-class level.Specific Responsibilities:Assist with the creation and on-going upkeep and maintenance of a critical equipment and spare parts inventoryRespond to technical issues as needed with both in-house maintenance and contractor resources.Be responsible for local contractor relationships, contracts and spend, including on-site safety and food safety regulation adherence.In collaboration with the Network Lead Equipment Reliability Engineer, develop a preventative maintenance plan and schedule that includes regular inspections and potential stress tests on equipment.Manage and own all equipment and facility warranty workPlan, manage, track, and justify facility or equipment funds as part of program planning, CapEx review, and program oversightParticipate in organization and operations, being an active cross functional support member for our growing and operations team.Partner with the ETS team to help oversee retrofit projects when ETS resources are not available on-site.Document and communicate critical downtime, action plans, and resolutionsTrack and be responsible for maintaining, upkeep, and resolution of downtime for Electrical Systems, HVAC Systems, and Water systems.Work cross-functionally with facility and equipment teams to communicate to ensure equipment capabilities are defined for clear and timely testing, implementation, and operations handoff.Manage connection points with other teams and follow up on any loose ends in communication or project statusCommunicate and present risk of critical downtimes and resolutionIdentify creative ways to overcome obstaclesDrive accountability to deadlines and priorities, and help instill excellenceDemonstrate emotional intelligence and people leadership skills in driving accountability and performance across teams, and contributing to a positive and motivating work environmentLooking for an individual to eventually take ownership of the facility from a building and equipment scope that could change over timeAct as a leader across indirect reporting relationships and cross-functional teamsRequirementsRequired Skills/Abilities:Presentable experience in areas listed above under ResponsibilitiesExcellent verbal and written communication skillsAble to leverage project management knowledge and approaches acrossPrevious experience in CEA, Growing, or Automated FactoryProblem-solver and creative thinkerContinuous improvement mindsetCollaboration-first mindset and team playerImpeccable attention to detailAbility to work in Microsoft Office suite, and in project management softwareKnowledge of Controlled Environment Agriculture 'CEA' preferredExperience leading maintenance organizationExperience within fast-growth or start-up company preferredEducation and Experience:BS or MS degree from an accredited college/universityDemonstrated history of leading high performance maintenance teamsDefinable and presentable level of mechanical, electrical engineering principles.10-15 years in Plant Maintenance preferred with a clear and presentable history of skill and knowledge improvement