Vice President of Engineering

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 Vice President of Engineering will lead Founds engineering organization and own the scale-up of Founds 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 Founds 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.

• 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 Founds technical capabilities and scale-up strategy with customers industrial partners government stakeholders and other external parties.

• 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.

• 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.