Lead Engineer
CrewAbout the role CREW is looking for a Lead Engineer to be the technical authority for how our systems are designed, built, and delivered. You’ll own the process-mechanical and controls engineering behind our deployments: overseeing and iterating on designs, ensuring manufacturing and procurement are reliable, and making sure our installations at wastewater plants are safe and trusted by our utility partners. You’ll lead the engineering function within Operations and work closely with our project managers and field staff, who take deployments from signed contracts to reliable long-term operation. The ideal candidate is a hands-on process or mechanical engineer who has taken hardware from design through fabrication to field operation, and who wants to build the engineering and delivery backbone of a fast-growing water technology company. This position is a full-time role. Location is onsite at CREW’s Brooklyn, NY office. Responsibilities Act as final technical authority on process, mechanical, and controls design, with sign-off on designs, submittals, and deployment readiness. Own design and troubleshooting of fluid handling, air, dust/powder handling, and pressure systems, including safety review of hazards and safeguards. Own the design of our control and instrumentation systems, working with data and software teams to drive dosing and operations from sensor data. Oversee supplier and manufacturer selection, qualification, and management so systems are robust, safe, and field-proven. Manage long-lead items, inspection and factory acceptance testing, and nonconformance resolution. Work hand in hand with project management to deliver deployments that are technically sound, on time, and on budget. Build repeatable pre-deployment processes covering site assessments, technical scoping, contractor SOWs, and readiness reviews. Provide technical direction through build, installation, commissioning, and handoff, and flag risks to leadership and clients early. Set engineering standards, documentation, commissioning and maintenance procedures, and change control across all sites, and lead technical escalations from the field. Use field performance and reliability data to feed lessons back into design. Serve as the technical lead with utility engineers and operators in design reviews, commissioning, and troubleshooting. Train utility clients to run CREW systems confidently, with standardized handoff materials. Over time, help shape the long-term strategy for our system designs, procurement, and fleet management, including how we standardize, scale, and potentially bring more manufacturing, inventory, and supply chain capability in-house as CREW grows. Experience Requirements 6-10 years designing, building, and delivering process-mechanical hardware systems, ideally in the water/wastewater sector. 3+ years leading or technically directing engineers and technical staff, including mentoring and setting standards. BS in Mechanical, Civil, Environmental, or Chemical Engineering, or an equivalent hands-on background. Track record of delivering multiple concurrent deployments or capital projects on time and on budget. Experience with process controls and instrumentation (sensors, PLCs/SCADA, control logic), ideally for dosing or chemical feed systems, and comfort working with data and software teams to tie hardware to data-driven optimization. Strong vendor, contractor, and consultant management skills. Able to travel 20–40%. You practice extreme ownership, lead with empathy, and have a growth mindset. Bonus Qualifications PE license. Experience at a utility, EPC, or water/wastewater equipment OEM. Product or strategic thinking. Compensation Compensation at the time of offer is unique to each candidate and based on a variety of factors such as skill set, experience, qualifications, and work location. Salary is one part of the total compensation and benefits package. Other benefits for eligible employees may include: equity…