Technical Project Management Lead

Have you heard of Mycelium?

It’s the root structure of mushrooms, growing juuuuust beneath the forest floor. 

We believe mycelium is the forests’ best-kept secret. With a naturally savory umami flavor and a wonderfully meaty texture, mycelium is a delicious, naturally sustainable option for people seeking a meat alternative. At MyForest Foods, we grow this gourmet mushroom mycelium inside our vertical farm in big, WHOLE pieces that can be sliced up just like traditional cuts of meat. Our first product, MyBacon is winning the hearts of vegans and carnivores alike—and we're just getting started! 

Intrigued? If you’re a motivated, inspired, passionate foodie with a drive to revolutionize the future of food, we should definitely talk.

As Project Management Lead, you'll be a crucial driver in ensuring technical project success across R&D, Operations, Engineering, and Marketing. Your primary focus will be on project governance, budget, and timeline management. Additionally, you'll oversee structural packaging and technology integration projects.

Dedicated and results-oriented project management professional with experience in leading cross-functional teams to successful project delivery in the food industry. Possessing a solid background in Food Science and a keen interest in plant-based food technology, you should excel in coordinating R&D and operations projects from inception to completion. Adept at optimizing production processes, scaling up manufacturing, and ensuring product quality and safety standards are exceeded. Known for implementing project management best practices to enhance efficiency and minimize risks while fostering a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and continuous improvement. Effective communicator skilled in aligning project objectives with company goals and delivering insightful updates to executive leadership

Key Responsibilities:

Project Governance:

• Champion project planning, execution, monitoring, and closure
• Develop project charters, define scope, and set project objectives
• Establish appropriate governance structures and processes to ensure project alignment with business strategies

Budget and Timeline Management:

• Partner with Finance to develop comprehensive project budgets, including cost estimations and resource allocation
• Implement timeline management strategies, ensuring milestones and deadlines are met
• Monitor and report on budget and schedule performance, implementing corrective actions as needed

Operational Technology Integration:

• Partnering with engineering to oversee the integration of new technologies into operational processes in our indoor farm
• Collaborate with engineering and operational teams to ensure smooth and efficient implementation
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to assess the impact and effectiveness of the integrated technologies

Stakeholder Communication:

• Develop a communication plan to keep all stakeholders informed about project progress, risks, and outcomes
• Facilitate regular project meetings and provide detailed progress reports to senior management
• Manage stakeholder expectations and resolve conflicts or issues that arise during the project lifecycle

Risk Management:

• Conduct risk assessments to identify potential project risks
• Develop and implement risk mitigation and contingency plans
• Continuously monitor risks throughout the project lifecycle, adjusting plans as necessary

Packaging Development:

• Partner with marketing to manage packaging solutions, focusing on time to market, operational feasibility, and cost efficiency
• Coordinate with R&D, Graphic Design and Marketing to shuttle new packaging through the development timeline, managing prototyping, testing, and final approval

Qualifications and Skills: 

• Project Management
• Cross-functional Team Leadership
• R&D and Operations Coordination
• Process Optimization
• Quality Assurance
• Strategic Communication
• Stakeholder Management
• Continuous Improvement

Education and/or Experience: 

• Degree in Food Science/Biotechnology/Chemical Engineering or related field
• 5+ years of project management experience, with a preference in the food industry or FMCG

Albany Salary Range

The salary range for this role is based on the candidate's skills and experience. Starts at  $75,000 - $100,000.

If you’re inspired by the potential of mycelium and the promise of a well-fed future, join us! Our team is always seeking passionate problem-solvers and forward-thinking foodies.

As a part of this bold and quirky band of fun-loving world-changers, you can expect...

• A diverse and welcoming work environment
• A fresh company culture (full of opportunities for involvement!)
• Team-bonding retreats & community-based events
• Immediate benefits (medical and dental coverage starts on day 1!)
• Multiple voluntary benefit options; access to tele-med, pet insurance, 401k