Operations Specialist, Pilot Manufacturing
Panthalassa · Vancouver · $31–$45/hr (stated in the posting)
About the Company
We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.
The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis.
Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries.
About the Job
We are seeking an Operations Specialist to support the daily operation of our pilot and contract manufacturing facility in Vancouver, Washington.
This is a hands-on, service-oriented role that blends facilities operations, manufacturing support, workplace hospitality, inventory management and general site coordination. Reporting to the Operations Manager for Pilot Manufacturing, the Operations Specialist will help keep the facility safe, organized, stocked, functional, and ready to support demanding fabrication, assembly, testing, and production activities.
The Operations Specialist will frequently be the person who notices what needs attention and takes action before it becomes a disruption. Responsibilities may range from coordinating a facility repair, restocking consumables, receiving a critical shipment, preparing the site for visitors, to resetting shared spaces to supporting vendors, maintaining operational records, and helping resolve requests from manufacturing and engineering teams.
This role is well suited for someone who enjoys variety, takes pride in creating an organized and productive environment, and approaches both technical operations and employee service with a strong sense of ownership.
Responsibilities
Facility and Manufacturing Operations
- Conduct routine site walks to identify maintenance needs, safety concerns, supply shortages, housekeeping issues, and other conditions that could affect operations.
- Support the reliable operation of building systems, utilities, shared infrastructure, office areas, breakrooms, and employee facilities.
- Respond to facility and workplace requests, resolving routine issues directly and escalating technical or safety-critical matters as needed.
- Coordinate preventive and corrective maintenance with contractors, vendors, and internal teams.
- Support equipment installation, work-area setup, production changes, and facility improvement projects.
- Assist with fleet vehicle management, including scheduling maintenance and maintaining records.
- Assist with shipping, receiving, material staging, and movement of supplies and equipment throughout the facility.
- Maintain keys, badges, access records, and other assigned site-security processes.
Inventory and Workplace Services
- Maintain appropriate stock levels for industrial consumables, PPE, janitorial supplies, office materials, food, beverages, coffee, and other workplace essentials.
- Receive, organize, store, and distribute materials needed to support manufacturing and employee operations.
- Maintain clean, organized, and functional breakrooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, collaboration areas, and shared spaces.
- Coordinate catered meals, visitor refreshments, employee events, and related setup and cleanup.
- Support visiting employees, guests, contractors, and vendors with site access, orientation, workspace setup, and general logistics.
Vendor, Safety, and Compliance Support
- Serve as an on-site contact for routine maintenance, facilities, hospitality, delivery, and service vendors.
- Coordinate vendor access and schedules, verify completed work, and escalate performance, cost, quality, or safety concerns.
- Support purchase requests, invoice reconciliation, expense tracking, and maintenance of vendor and service records.
- Reinforce site safety expectations and promptly escalate unsafe conditions, incidents, or operational risks.
- Assist with inspection and readiness of emergency, life-safety, first-aid, spill-response, and evacuation equipment.
- Coordinate waste, recycling, hazardous-material, and regulated-waste services in accordance with established procedures.
- Support emergency drills, inspections, audits, and compliance activities under the direction of the Operations Manager and company safety team.
Documentation and Continuous Improvement
- Maintain SOPs, checklists, inventory records, inspection logs, maintenance documentation, and other operational records.
- Help establish repeatable processes and service standards as the facility transitions into sustained manufacturing operations.
- Identify opportunities to improve safety, reliability, organization, cost, and employee productivity.
- Support incident follow-up, corrective actions, facility projects, and operational-readiness initiatives as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- 2–4 years of experience in facilities, workplace operations, manufacturing support, hospitality, logistics, industrial services, or a related hands-on role.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities with consistent follow-through.
- Service-oriented mindset and interest in helping manufacturing and technical teams work safely and efficiently.
- Ability to identify problems, use sound judgment, and resolve routine issues independently.
- Experience coordinating vendors, deliveries, maintenance activities, inventory, or workplace services.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfort working in an active industrial or manufacturing environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or similar business applications.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel periodically between the Vancouver facility and Portland headquarters.
Desired Qualifications
- Familiarity with industrial building systems, including HVAC, electrical, compressed air, emergency power, or fire protection.
- Experience supporting metal fabrication, machining, assembly, prototyping, warehouse, or pilot manufacturing operations.
- Experience with facilities ticketing, maintenance management, inventory, or vendor-management systems.
- Basic knowledge of OSHA, environmental, hazardous-waste, or workplace safety requirements.
- Experience supporting site startups, facility build-outs, equipment installation, or operational-readiness activities.
- Food-handler, first-aid, forklift, or other relevant operational certifications, or willingness to obtain them.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong ownership, accountability, and attention to detail.
- Practical problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
- Ability to anticipate needs and act proactively.
- Clear, professional, and responsive communication.
- Ability to build effective relationships with employees, vendors, contractors, and technical teams.
- Comfort shifting between facilities, manufacturing, hospitality, logistics, and administrative responsibilities.
- Commitment to safety, reliability, confidentiality, and excellent service.
Work Environment and Physical Requirements
- Full-time, on-site position at our Vancouver, Washington pilot and contract manufacturing facility.
- Work occurs across office, warehouse, fabrication, production, and exterior environments.
- Personal protective equipment will be required in designated areas.
- Frequent walking, standing, bending, reaching, and movement throughout the facility.
- Ability to lift and move items weighing up to 40 pounds independently and heavier items with appropriate assistance or equipment.
- Occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends may be required to support critical operations, deliveries, shutdowns, or events.
- Periodic travel to the Portland headquarters may be required.
Compensation and Benefits
If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:
- Cash compensation of $31 - $45 per hour, based on experience.
- Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
- A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
- Flexible paid time off
- Health insurance (the company pays 100% of gold-level PPO plan for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
- Dental insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
- Vision insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
- Disability insurance (the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long-term financial support if you become disabled)
- Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA
Location
This is an on-site position based at our pilot and contract manufacturing facility in Vancouver, Washington.