Project Manager, Operations Manager, Program ​/ Project Manager

Kindly be advised that we are handling the recruitment for this position internally and are not partnering with external recruiters.

Plantible, backed by Astanor Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Piva Capital, Kellogg’s, and Vectr Ventures, is a vertically integrated biology company that is unlocking the power in plants in service of people & planet. Our mission is to create solutions that empower customers to make sustainable and regenerative choices without compromising on quality. We are beginning with the food industry. Please visit our website to learn more about our mission and continued success:

Plantible Foods is unlocking the power of Rubi Protein—a sustainable, functional, and highly nutritious ingredient derived from Lemna. Our mission is to revolutionize the food system by creating better proteins for people and the planet. We’re scaling our first commercial facility in Texas and expanding our product and customer pipeline globally. We’re looking for an experienced Project Manager to help lead some of the most important cross‑functional initiatives at Plantible—ranging from new product development and customer execution projects to scaling operational capabilities and implementing project management best practices across teams.

As a Project Manager, you will operate as a connective hub across R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, FSQ, and Supply Chain—driving clarity, accountability, and execution. You’ll own project delivery from concept to completion, establish clear processes for planning and decision‑making, and elevate how Plantible runs its most strategic projects. You are equally comfortable in the details and at the 10,000‑foot view: translating complex scientific work streams into crisp milestones, surfacing risks before they become problems, and ensuring the right people are aligned on goals and next steps.

• Lead Cross‑Functional Execution:
  Manage 1–3 strategic projects at a time spanning new product development, customer trials, and operational initiatives. Own project scope, timeline, deliverables, and success metrics.
• Implement Project Management Best Practices:
  Introduce simple, scalable PM frameworks (charters, RAID logs, decision registers, retros) and ensure consistency across departments.
• Coordinate Resources:
  Partner with R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, FSQ, and Supply Chain to align on capacity, resource allocation, and readiness for trials or production.
• Vendor and Customer Interface:
  Coordinate with external partners for trials, materials, and deliverables; manage timelines and communication with customer PMOs.
• Budget &
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Track budgets vs. plan, surface variances early, and maintain a clear log of risks, issues, and mitigations.
• Reporting & Communication:
  Deliver executive‑ready status summaries (dates, decisions, risks, and asks) that integrate into W /OKR cadences.
• Define transfer‑ready criteria (recipe/setpoints/CTQs/SOP links), confirm acceptance with Ops/FSQ, and support first runs.

• This role requires travel to Plantible’s work locations in Eldorado, TX and San Diego, CA approximately once per month, for one week at a time, depending on project needs, to support on‑site project work. Flexibility and availability to travel during these periods is required.

• 5–8+ years managing cross‑functional technical projects ideally in food tech, biotech, or manufacturing‑driven startups.
• Demonstrated command of stage‑gates, critical‑path scheduling, and multi‑team coordination.
• Clear, concise communicator (one‑pagers, exec updates); strong ability to influence without authority.
• Familiarity with FSMA/GMP basics, plant trial logistics, and change control in regulated environments.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and PM tools (Smartsheet/Click Up/Asana/Jira) and basic Gantt/timeline building.
• Data hygiene: comfortable with KPI tracking, RAID maintenance, and simple cost tracking.
• Preferred: exposure to process engineering or manufacturing scale‑up; experience coordinating vendor trials or line validations.

Joining Plantible means…