Senior Engineer, Irrigation Design and Process Full Time

Description

Upward Farms grows leafy greens and fish with the highest ecological and quality standards so that everyone can nourish their body, family, and the planet. With 95% of leafy greens grown on the West Coast and 90% of seafood imported, our mission is to heal the broken food system and reconnect eaters with flavorful and nutritious local food.

We design and operate complete ecosystems of plants and fish in vertical farms, supplying these organic and local products to grocers. We operate an R&D aquaponic farm in East Williamsburg and are expanding with a large HQ Farm commercial facility, also in Brooklyn, that will be completed in December 2020.

In this role, you will work closely with the CTO and Engineer Director, as well as colleagues from across Engineering, Plant Science R&D and Operations. You will lead the iterative improvement of Upward Farms’ irrigation design and controls and the implementation of industrial scale facilities. The ecology that we cultivate in our agricultural water enhances crop growth and the system’s biological immune system — a virtuosic touch is required. The Irrigation Process Engineer will thread together the core systems and knowledge needed to help that ecosystem live it’s best life — irrigation design, P&IDs, plumbing layouts and control methods.

Your objective is to continually refine our irrigation system to increase yields, boost resiliency, and reduce capital and operating expenses. Success in this role will be determined by your ability to apply your expertise, creativity and collaborative skills to harness the natural ecology of our system to reach our measurable objectives. Upward Farms relies on a variety of fluid systems, from ambient climate (i.e. HVAC) to produce washing to aquaculture, which dependent upon the candidate’s background, could also become areas of contribution or ownership for the Irrigation Process Engineer. There is tremendous room for growth at our company.

Responsibilities

• Develop piping & instrumentation diagrams, drawings and specifications for production and R&D irrigation systems.
• 2D/3D modelling of irrigation systems.
• Specify equipment and materials BOMs.
• Collaborate with Software and Controls Engineers.
• Incorporate feedback from Operations and Plant Science R&D teams.
• Manage the bidding and construction administration of new installations.
• Contribute to programming and capital budgeting for future farms.

Requirements

• 5+ years experience in a related engineering role.
• Bachelors in engineering or related.
• Advanced understanding of fluid dynamics and ability to contribute to other projects such as airflow design.
• Experience with automated process and controls systems.
• Proficient in AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, Solidworks or Rhino3D.
• Strong, self-determined work ethic.
• Excellent listening, clear and concise oral and written communication.
• Question-driven, curious, open minded.

Preferred Skills + Experience

• Experience with hydroponic irrigation systems.
• Experience with Recirculating Aquaculture Systems or other biological systems.

Benefits

We offer a dynamic work environment and benefits that include:

• Aetna Medical, Aetna and MetLife Dental, and Aetna Vision insurance; FSA/HSA plans; and HIPAA-compliant health advocates. Upward Farms currently contributes 78-100% of the premium for Medical benefits for employees and their families.
• Unlimited paid sick time. For extended illness, we offer short term disability.
• Up to 20 days paid time off per year, depending on experience, in addition to paid holidays.
• For new parents, an extension of New York State’s paid family leave for up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave. This leave is in addition to Disability leave available to pregnant and postpartum mothers.
• Commuter benefits, discounted gym memberships, and other perks.
• All the fresh salad you could dream of.