Technical Operations Lead

5 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Cocoon is driving the circular economy between steel and cement by turning steel slag into a low-carbon cement substitute.

We're backed by leading climate and hardware tech investors, including Gigascale, Wireframe, and Celsius Industries. In under two years, we've gone from concept to deploying our breakthrough technology at one of the largest steel producers in the US.

We’re doubling the team in 2026 to tackle the next wave of technical challenges as we scale towards our first permanent production plant.

As part of Cocoon, you’ll lead and deliver technology trials at steel mills throughout the US, working alongside engineers, scientists, researchers, and technicians to develop and scale our technology. The role will be challenging; you’ll shape the execution plan, run the site, and solve complex issues in real‑time, giving you the chance to deploy novel, impactful engineering into one of the largest heavy industries in the world.

We’re looking for a Technical Operations Lead to manage all aspects of our pilot operations as we look to trial our technology at multiple steel plants over the next year. You will plan and execute technology trials, oversee operators and technicians, support equipment procurement and installation, and ensure rigorous safety and operational discipline across all site work.

You’ll act as the operational bridge between on‑site activities, local vendors and contractors, and our team in the UK — ensuring readiness, troubleshooting emerging issues in real time, and anticipating risks before they become bottlenecks. The trials will typically last eight weeks, and this role will be on‑site during that time. Outside of this, the role can be remote.

• Develop and maintain plans for trial campaigns, covering equipment, utilities, and resourcing.
• Anticipate operational risks and bottlenecks and proactively implement solutions.
• Ensure procedures, sampling plans, training, and operator coverage are in place ahead of each campaign.
• Communicate progress, risks, and mitigation strategies to the wider team and stakeholders.

• Supervise trial operators and technicians, ensuring operational discipline and performance are maintained to a high standard.
• Provide on‑site support during construction, commissioning, and trial execution, and troubleshoot operational issues in real time—making sure contractors and the Cocoon team have what they need and know what they’re doing.
• Coordinate data collection, ensuring data is gathered in a rigorous and repeatable manner.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and operational optimisation on site.

• Coordinate equipment delivery, installation, utilities, troubleshooting, and vendor/contractor engagement.
• Lead development and execution of risk assessments and safe systems of work for all trial operations.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and third‑party site HSE requirements, alongside promoting a strong on‑site safety culture.

Subject to the successful execution of trials, this role could evolve to an operational leadership position at our upcoming demo plant.

• Have 4+ years of hands‑on operational experience in pilot plant, industrial, process, or technical site environments, including day‑to‑day execution and supervision.
• Bring a technical mindset to problem‑solving, and have a track record of overcoming operational challenges.
• Are a self‑starter, able to execute independently in challenging conditions.
• Can establish or improve operational processes (procedures, risk assessments, work coordination, basic systems) in early‑stage, fast‑changing environments.
• Show strong organisational, troubleshooting, and real‑time problem‑solving skills, responding quickly when operational issues arise.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively across multiple stakeholders in different time zones — including leading operators/technicians and working closely with a remote engineering team.
• Experience in pilot or demo‑plant operations, first‑of‑a‑kind technology, or process…