Facilities Engineer

In this role, you will own the day-to-day performance and long-term development of Symbrosia's facilities across cultivation, processing, R&D, and quality operations. You'll maintain and improve mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and utility systems while supporting the build-out of new capacity, pilot systems, and process improvements. From pumps and piping to dryers, tanks, sensors, and safety systems, your work ensures our teams can operate efficiently, safely, and at commercial standards.

About Symbrosia inc

At Symbrosia, our mission is to deliver scalable marine biomass solutions to the world's most pressing problems. Our first product is a natural seaweed feed additive that reduces livestock methane emissions by 80%+ and makes animals more productive. The world's 1 billion cows collectively cause 6% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions by burping out massive quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Called "the seaweed that could save the planet" by The Verge, Forbes, and The Washington Post, Symbrosia's product is unmatched in value to ranchers and environmental impact. Symbrosia breeds and cultivates fast-growing seaweed strains in Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i.


Description

Background

Symbrosia is a Hawai'i-based agtech company revolutionizing livestock agriculture with SeaGraze® , our proprietary seaweed-based feed additive proven to reduce enteric methane emissions by up to 80% while driving nutritional optimization. Backed by top firms and scientific research, we're scaling regenerative aquaculture and sustainable livestock practices across global markets.

Our team is driven by impact-we believe solutions must be scalable, measurable, and profitable. Join us as we bring ocean-powered nutrition to millions of cattle and reshape the future of agriculture.

Role Summary

Symbrosia is transitioning from breakthrough innovation to full-scale commercial operations, and our facilities are where that transformation becomes real. The Facilities Engineer plays a critical, hands-on role in enabling this scale, ensuring our Kona-based infrastructure is reliable, compliant, and built to evolve alongside our science.

This is a highly cross-functional role at the intersection of engineering, operations, and experimentation. You will collaborate closely with Processing, QA, and Leadership to translate evolving technical requirements into physical systems, troubleshoot real-time issues, and design practical, scalable solutions for a working industrial aquaculture facility. The role blends structured maintenance and compliance with creative problem-solving in a dynamic environment.

The Facilities Engineer is foundational to Symbrosia's success. As we scale production, expand capacity, and prepare for global replication, this role ensures our infrastructure is not just functioning, but future-ready.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day facility performance across cultivation, processing, R&D, QA, and shared workspaces, ensuring infrastructure, utilities, and grounds adapt to the evolving needs of a scaling operation. This includes workspace setup, equipment placement, material flow, storage systems, and maintaining high standards of site organization.
• Maintain a safe, compliant, and fully functioning working environment by providing hands-on maintenance and rapid-response support to R&D and Production teams, with a strong focus on equipment uptime, safety systems, and operational continuity.
• Lead the sourcing, procurement, installation, commissioning, and documentation of equipment required for pilots, trials, and commercial processes, working closely with technical teams to ensure systems are fit-for-purpose and scalable.
• Design, modify, and improve facility layouts, mechanical systems, and workflows to increase operational efficiency, safety, and throughput as production volumes and technical complexity grow.
• Operate, maintain, and continuously improve algae production and support systems, including air and water distribution, filtration, lighting, nutrient delivery, monitoring, and control systems, ensuring consistency, reliability, and data integrity.
• Actively support Symbrosia's innovation stage-gate process by contributing to technical brainstorming, concept development, feasibility assessment, prototyping, and the translation of R&D concepts into physical systems suitable for pilot and commercial deployment.
• Support the execution of Research & Development activities under grant-funded programs by delivering engineering design, fabrication, installation, testing, and documentation tasks in alignment with grant objectives and reporting requirements.
• Safeguard Symbrosia's intellectual and material property by following confidentiality standards, contributing to internal SOPs, maintenance protocols, asset documentation, and infrastructure-related best practices.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Processing, QA, Operations, and Leadership to plan facility upgrades, troubleshoot complex issues, and align physical infrastructure with company priorities and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• 3+ years of hands-on experience in facilities maintenance, industrial operations, or the trades, such as handyman work, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, or similar technical roles.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills with a high level of attention to detail and follow-through in active, operational environments.
• High self-motivation and a bias toward action, with the ability to execute quickly and effectively in a fast-paced, evolving operation.
• A collaborative, can-do mindset with genuine curiosity and willingness to learn, contribute, and grow alongside a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to develop practical, innovative solutions to complex or unfamiliar technical challenges.
• Comfort challenging legacy approaches and proposing more efficient, safer, or more scalable methods when appropriate.
• Experience developing, executing, and documenting test plans, pilots, or experimental systems in applied engineering or operations settings.

Benefits

• 21 days PTO + 13 days flex holiday PTO + 1 day Birthday Time Off
• 100% health insurance (dental + vision), 50% for dependents
• 401k + company matching
• Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks)
• Employee Stock Option Plan - you'll have ownership in the company!
• Bonus programs
• Upskilling and internal training seminars
• Mission-driven company
• Amazing, collaborative team - it will be your favorite part of working here!

Salary


$70,000 - $75,000 per year