About the RoleWe are looking for an experienced Technical Operations Lead to oversee the team, systems, and processes that take CREW's deployments from signed contract to reliable, long-term operation at wastewater treatment plants nationwide. This person leads the engineers, project managers, and field staff responsible for designing, procuring, building, installing, and maintaining our fleet - ensuring every deployment is robust, on budget, and on schedule.
This role blends technical judgment with operational leadership: technical fluency to hold designs and vendors to a high standard, paired with the operating discipline to run a distributed, multi-site deployment pipeline well. As the fleet grows, this person will also help shape the future of our deployments - improving controls, standardizing our approach, and informing strategy.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on operator who has led a distributed field service, deployment, or fleet operation before, is comfortable owning cost and schedule as business outcomes, and is energized by building the operating backbone of a fast-growing water technology company.
This position is a full-time role. Location is onsite at CREW's Brooklyn, NY office. Remote considered only for exceptional candidates, with regular travel to Brooklyn expected.
Key Responsibilities- Lead the cross-functional team (engineers, project managers, field technicians) that takes projects from kickoff through design, procurement, build, install, and commissioning to steady-state operation.
- Own cost and schedule discipline across every phase of the deployment pipeline.
- Set the operating rhythm, processes, and metrics that keep multiple simultaneous site deployments on track.
- Ensure our systems (tanks, silos, controls) are robust and field-proven.
- Manage relationships with design consultants, fabricators, skid builders, and contract manufacturers.
- Own reliability engineering and failure analysis as a program: set targets (MTBF, MTTR, asset life), and ensure field issues (pressure, flow, mechanical failures) are root-caused and converted into updated design standards and next-generation requirements - whether executed personally or through an engineer on the team.
- Establish and maintain engineering standards, technical documentation, commissioning procedures, and change-control processes to ensure consistency across all deployed systems.
- Push toward designs and vendor choices that make systems easier to deploy, service, and scale cost-effectively - without over-engineering.
- Build and run the systems, processes, and team that keep a growing, geographically distributed fleet operating reliably.
- Own preventive maintenance programs, remote monitoring and troubleshooting, and field service dispatch.
- Track and report fleet uptime, reliability, and service cost as core operating metrics.
- As the operation matures, take on more of CREW's strategy and long-term deployment roadmap - standardizing what's working and identifying where to invest next.
- Partner with commercial, supply chain, and finance to keep delivery targets, unit economics, and field performance aligned.
Experience Requirements- 10+ years leading teams (engineers, project managers, and/or field staff) that design, build, and operate physical equipment deployed across many sites - water/wastewater is preferred.
- BS in Mechanical, Civil, Environmental, or Chemical Engineering (or equivalent hands-on technical background).
- Track record standing up or scaling a distributed operation - field service, deployment, or O&M - for physical equipment across many sites.
- Experience managing vendor and consultant relationships for hardware, design, fabrication, or consumables.
- Comfortable owning cost and schedule as a business outcome.
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to run multiple sites, vendors, and priorities at once.
- Product or strategic thinking a strong plus - this role grows into shaping the future of our deployments.
- Able to travel 20-40%.
- PE license a plus, not required.
- You practice extreme ownership (no task is too small).
- You love being in the trenches with your team and working with high empathy.
- You have a growth mindset.
CompensationCompensation 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 through the form of option grants, flexible paid time off, 401(k) plan, well equipped office environment, and health benefits offerings.
The expected base salary range for this role is $120,000-$180,000. This range represents the company's estimate for this position at the time of posting however actual compensation may vary based on skills, experience, location, role scope, and business needs.
