Sr. Mechanical Design & Deployment Engineer II (Level 4)

(Salaried, full-time)

About Us : Rebellyous Foods is an early-stage, plant-based meat start-up. As a food production and manufacturing technology company, we are working to substantially increase the volume and lower the price of specific, high-quality plant-based meat products to effectively serve the institutional market to replace animal-based meat on a large scale. At Rebellyous, we not only produce plant-based meat, but also design new production equipment and novel production systems to meet growing demand. We work to replace animal-based meat on a large scale.

About the Role : 

Rebellyous Foods is seeking an experienced , conscientious, flexible, and detail-oriented Sr. Mechanical Design & Deployment Engineer II . We’re looking for someone who enjoys making a difference, being a part of a team, and takes pride in working in a fast-paced, constantly changing early-stage startup environment ; someone who is a self-starter and will thrive in an intensive food manufacturing workplace . In this position, you’ll be responsible for designing and overseeing the design of novel food production equipment.

The Sr. Mechanical Design & Deployment Engineer II is a key member of the Equipment Research & Development team and reports to the Vice President of Manufacturing and Logistics. You will work closely with other engineers on the ER&D team to design and develop novel food production equipment. You will work within a cross-disciplinary team and incorporate the ideas of production, engineering operations, and food science and product development teams to optimize equipment for usability.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Supervise, lead and develop the team. 
• Establish design concepts and delegate team design work.
• Liaise with external stakeholders as appropriate, autonomously. 
• Network and collaborate with other engineers, professionals and industry experts. 
• Conceptualize novel and relevant design ideas based on our mission. Propose and research new food production projects/equipment in response to identified bottlenecks or waste in production line engineering and facility operations. 
• Develop equipment and facility plans for implementation of novel equipment at the industrial scale. 
• Execute simultaneous project management methods for various projects to track equipment development, implementation status, planning risks, critical path plans and time schedules. Establish mitigation plans.
• Synthesize data into a lead lot schedule and production ramp.
• Conduct trade studies, solid modeling. 
• Develop appropriate sourcing and commercial strategy for all project materials, equipment and services as defined by annual planning / estimating in alignment with policies and procedures. Solicit bids, create estimates and pro forma for projects, develop and maintain departmental budgets. 
• Guide team prototyping and testing of novel equipment designs at various levels of fidelity.
• Technical design reviews for DFM, longevity, and sanitary design in a food manufacturing environment.
• Model designs in 3D CAD simulation environments (Autodesk Inventor etc) to size components for longevity.
• Model designs and interactions with foodstuffs using Discrete Element Method (DEM) software.
• Size and specify drivetrain components for novel equipment.
• Conduct appropriate CAD file organization and design iteration documentation.
• Prepare technical documentation, reports and presentations based on consolidated, analyzed test results. 
• Identify problem areas, troubleshoot complex issues, recommend and apply solutions. 
• Identify appropriate vendors and oversee timeliness, expectations. 
• Work with vendors and internal and external engineering teams to manufacture custom components and determine correct OTS components. Effectively manage contractual obligations including quality control. 
• Work collaboratively and manage dependencies, between the production, operations, facility, food science teams, and external partners to integrate critical components of design for new equipment and systems. 
• Oversee cross-divisional teams developing the staging and implementation plan for piloting/release in alignment with Objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for feature(s)/feature areas. Validate requirements such as quality, performance, scalability and resource cost in collaboration with teams. 
• Establish food safety protocols for new production equipment in accordance with FSMA, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and state food and agricultural agencies. 

Qualifications :

• At least 5 years of experience designing mechanical systems.
• At least 5 years of experience supervising a team. 
• At least 5 years experience in food manufacturing, 
• At least 2 years experience in equipment development and deployment on an industrial scale for a daily-sanitation workflow.
• Graduate degree preferred in mechanical , manufacturing, equipment, chemical, food engineering, or similar.
• Experience with industrial equipment implementation, CAPEX projects in a food manufacturing environment.
• Direct experience designing equipment and automation systems is necessary, preferably in the food industry. 
• Expert in 3D CAD software (Autodesk Inventor preferred).
• Expert in FEA and/or DEM simulation software (Autodesk Inventor, Newton DEM preferred).

• Enthusiasm for iterative design and learning whatever necessary to advance projects; creativity and drive to thrive in open-ended problem-solving.

• Flexibility, resilience, and self-starter attitude to work in a rapidly-iterating early-stage startup.
• Strong attention to detail; excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong verbal and whiteboard-sketch communication skills.
• Ability to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19. (required)

Bonus Points :

• Experience with suppliers of pilot and commercial-scale food safe equipment and auxiliary components.
• 1 years experience in heat transfer theoretical calculations and/or modeling.
• Significant mechanical DFM experience, for 5-axis CNC and/or metal 3D printing, including for tight tolerances and high quality surface finish.
• Personal experience working in a machine shop / metal or plastic custom component manufacturer.
• Experience programming and wiring microcontrollers and motor controllers, Arduino-type “hacking”.

Location : Position is currently located onsite at Rebellyous HQ in West Seattle and surrounding area. Travel approximately 20% of the time to support R&D projects, if necessary. 

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: All positions regularly require long hours and can require weekend or after-hours work. Occasional work from home requests may be accommodated.

Physical Demands: Ability to stand for long periods of time, stoop, kneel, and reach regularly. Ability to lift, push, pull up to 35 pounds. We can provide reasonable accommodations for people who may not be able to meet these requirements for specific reasons.

Salary: The salary range for this position is $129,000 - $173,000 depending on experience. Employee benefits include: Eleven paid holidays, 21 days paid vacation, and sick leave according to WA state law. We also offer medical, dental, and vision insurance and cover 75% of the premium for employees. Equity packages for permanent hires on a case-by-case basis. We provide opportunities for professional development and frequently promote from within. 

Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy : At Rebellyous Foods, we aim to attract the most qualified and creative problem-solvers to the mission of providing sustainable, affordable meat alternatives. In achieving that goal, Rebellyous Foods does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our operations. Women, minorities, people of color, and those with non-traditional educational and experiential backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Further, we are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. Discrimination or harassment in any form or based on any of the above factors is prohibited, as is retaliation against a person who has made a complaint or given information regarding possible violations of our policy.