Mechanical Engineer, Richmond, VA

About the Role

As a Farm Systems engineer in Richmond VA, you will be part of our Product and Delivery team. This role will support our future farm design and project execution initiatives. In this role you’ll be responsible for collaborating with staff across R&D, Engineering, IT, Facilities/Maintenance and Operations and external design partners, contractors, agents and vendors acting on our behalf. Duties of this role include participation in design studies, modeling and analysis that leads to overall farm architecture as well as planning, scheduling and coordination aspects of deployment including vendor specifications and contracts, procurement, equipment inspection and acceptance testing and site based project delivery tasks, including commissioning and test plans. Additionally, you will support the Operations team by identifying and actioning continuous improvement opportunities as well as performing Facilities and Maintenance tasks on an as needed basis. If successful you will pay a key role in improving everyday operations and help unlock market access through superior farm design, economics and operability.

What You’ll Do

Continuous Improvement & Facilities/Maintenance – RIC Farm

• Own environmental monitoring and thermal system (HVAC) performance; update setpoints in coordination with growers and share on-call responsibilities
• Lead daily and weekly reviews of environmental trends and system performance; produce scorecards and dashboards and surface improvement recommendations to Operations and Growers
• Take ongoing measurements to track system performance (airflow, light PPFD, nutrient/gutter ranges, Aranet sensors, etc.)
• Build or contribute to operational dashboards that support growers and scientists (e.g., IPS data grower tool)
• Lead or contribute to labor time efficiency trials and pack-out analysis; deliver actionable insights and recommendations
• Review post-harvest and cold chain practices to ensure berry quality is maintained
• Support equipment reliability initiatives and maintenance activities as needed
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical systems – including HVAC, chilled water systems (chillers, pumps), and Building Automation System (BAS) controls logic – coordinating with vendors such as Trane and JCI
• Support facilities contracts and procurement: maintain spares inventory (UV bulbs, belts, drives, etc.), ensure vendor proposals meet technical requirements, and initiate PO requests for equipment and services

Future Farm Project Execution – FAST Concept & Pilot Program

• Contribute to design development of the FAST concept and support pilot execution
  • Participate in design reviews and collaborate with internal staff, subject matter experts, and external design partners and vendors
  • Develop models and conduct techno-economic analyses to optimize system design
  • Review project cost estimates and support value engineering efforts
  • Contribute to future farm architecture roadmaps and concept development
  • Develop specifications and test plans for use in contracting and procurement of technical subsystems
  • Contribute to necessary documentation required to engage external design partners, including but not limited to Basis of Design (BOD) and Controls Narrative, and other process flow and technical documentation
  • Support project scheduling: develop and maintain schedules, track milestones, and communicate vendor procurement timelines
  • Report on project progress; escalate risks, deviations, or blockers to project management and leadership in a timely manner
  •  Support construction management staff with technical questions and issues
• Manage and oversee project commissioning tasks from start to finish: equipment inspections and acceptance testing at vendor sites, and all aspects of the commissioning testing and acceptance plans for each system
  • Develop work plans to test and de-risk equipment and system performance; collaborate with internal and external teams to execute and improve commissioning checklists
  • Conduct vendor site visits to inspect offsite fabrication or assembly prior to shipment as needed
  • Review as-designed and as-built drawings, specifications, and documentation to develop a thorough understanding of installation strategy and critical process parameters
  • Ensure food safety, sanitation, and operability are factored into design decisions and equipment selection throughout the project lifecycle
  • Compile and deliver complete handover documentation to Operations, including as-builts, installation records, commissioning checklists, warranty documents, SOPs, and maintenance protocols
  • Deliver basic operations and facilities training as needed

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline, plus 3+ years of relevant experience
• Safety-oriented mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills; strong collaborator across teams and project stakeholders
• Ability to proactively escalate concerns and navigate ambiguity
• Experience designing or troubleshooting electrical and control systems
• Familiarity with – or strong interest in learning – project economics, energy systems and modeling, technical roadmaps, and executive-level reporting
• Ability to travel up to 10% as required

Food Safety Requirements

All employees must comply with applicable Plant, State, and Federal regulations including OSHA, EPA, FDA, HACCP, and SQF standards, Applicants must be 18 or older. Equipment design and selection must use food-safe materials that are smooth and easily cleanable.