Associate Director, Process Automation Engineering

About us:

Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods grows meat, poultry, and seafood directly from real animal cells. These products are not vegan or vegetarian—they are delicious meat, made without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. In doing so, the company aims to address some of the most pressing environmental, animal welfare, and public health challenges, while still giving people the meat they love.

Founded as the world’s first cultivated meat company in 2015, UPSIDE Foods (formerly Memphis Meats) has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including being the first company to produce multiple species of meat (beef, chicken, and duck) and to sell a cultivated meat product in the United States. The company believes that people shouldn’t have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet, and is working to build a better food system with access to delicious, humane, and sustainable meat, poultry, and seafood.

UPSIDE Foods has won various industry awards, including New York Times’ Good Tech Awards, FastCo’s Next Big Thing in Tech and World Changing Ideas Awards, and the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation by the National Association for Business Resources. UPSIDE Foods has raised a total of $608 million, including from the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund (ADG), Baillie Gifford, Bill Gates, Cargill, John Doerr, John Mackey, Kimbal and Christiana Musk, Norwest, Richard Branson, Softbank, Temasek, Threshold, Tyson Foods, and others.

About this job:

We are seeking a talented Associate Director, Process Automation Engineering to manage our automation team and lead our effort to automate complex and novel processes for cell-cultivated meat production. This role will serve as automation architect for our cultivated meat plant expansion, manage controls subcontractors, work with the process teams to specify automation functional requirements and ensure compliant and efficient designs, participate during the FATs, software and hardware installations, design and execute automation testing during I/O commissioning and qualification test phases. After facility completion, they will support the processing team and integrate new capabilities and systems as needed. This position requires a deep understanding of process technology and high flexibility. Candidates should be passionate about creating logical, efficient and user-friendly solutions.

Responsibilities Include:

• Develop our automation vision and strategy for facilities that support company objectives
• Lead automation engineering team, interfacing with adjacent engineering and manufacturing teams
• Lead automation projects including development and documentation of automation functional requirements, system design and review, implementation including coding and debugging, deployment of novel automation solutions, and completed documentation.
• Lead others such as engineering firms and contract staff to deliver automation solutions where this is required due to scope of work
• Specification of instruments and networks to integrate with automation systems
• Ensure automation and data systems are in compliance with regulatory guidelines for food manufacturing
• Training and education of the process engineers and plant operators
  
  

About You:

• B.S. in an engineering field with 10+ years experience in an automation role and 2+ years experience managing individual contributors
• Extensive experience leading projects involving the operation, programming and strategic development of pharma or food & beverage plant automation, Rockwell PlantPAx preferred
• Proven track record in establishing and achieving timelines and milestones in a fast paced production environment
• Strong understanding of equipment function, related process engineering and electrical hardware needs
• Exceptional ability in diagnosing, resolving and innovating solutions for complex electro-mechanical systems, coupled with proven track record of enhancing system reliability and performance
• Comfortable working in, and leading in a team-based environment
• Ability to relate with people at all levels within an organization, including diverse cultures
  
  

Compensation Range: $175,000 - $200,000*

• Pay may vary depending on factors including job-related knowledge and skills.
  
  

UPSIDE Benefits!

• Stock options for all full-time incoming team members!
• 90-100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for team members (medical [including HSA and FSA], dental, and vision)
• Pet insurance for your furry family members!
• Unlimited PTO
• Employee Engagement Council
• Company-sponsored learning & development opportunities
  
  

UPSIDE Foods is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Our company-wide mission is to create a product for everyone, so we are deeply committed to having teams and leaders that reflect this mission.