Bio-Refinery Foreman

About Big Kelp We are an innovative, eco-positive startup building a globally scalable business around giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera)—the fastest-growing organism on earth. The way e grow it means that the crop will sequester 30x more C02 than forest. Based in Picton on the beautiful Queen Charlotte Sound, we'll cultivate and harvest this miracle crop to create three categories of bio-degradable products which displace C02 emitting products on land.. Our process uses no land, no fresh water, and no synthetic fertilisers, and our near-zero waste bio-refinery extracts maximum value from every harvest. The Role We are looking for a highly capable Bio-refinery Site Foreman to be our foundational local hire in Picton. As the first NZ hire, you will be the linchpin of our local operations—the person every other hire depends on. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will be responsible for building our ground team and holding down the day-to-day site operations as we scale. Key Responsibilities Team Leadership: Hire, train, and run the local ground crew for our Picton facility. Daily Operations: Manage and hold the day-to-day operations on site, ensuring safe and efficient workflows. Cross-Functional Coordination: Oversee and integrate the work of diverse roles, including hatchery technicians, cold-press operators, rack fabricators, and marine operations skippers. Processing Oversight: Supervise the wet-line processing operations, ensuring fresh biomass is cold-pressed effectively without the use of heat or drying. Executive Reporting: Report directly to the CEO, providing updates on site progress, operational hurdles, and crew management. Who You Are An experienced operational leader, ideally with a background in manufacturing, dairy processing, marine operations, or aquaculture. A hands-on manager who thrives in a dynamic startup environment and excels at building teams from the ground up. Someone passionate about sustainability and building a permanent, positive impact on ocean health, land and freshwater health and global warming Competitive salary & stock options. #J-18808-Ljbffr