Location: Austin, Texas
Department: Operations
Reports to: Plant Manager
Type: Full-Time
About HydroGraph
HydroGraph is a hyper-growth advanced materials company scaling pristine, high-performance graphene via its patented Hyperion detonation technology. With more than 70 active commercial projects, a growing global footprint, and industry-leading material quality (99.8% pure graphene), HydroGraph is building the next generation of engineered materials for coatings, composites, and energy storage. Our new Austin HQ will serve as the flagship center for innovation, applied R&D, customer engagement, and rapid material development.
Role Overview
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Manufacturing Engineer to join our growing team. In this role, you will design, develop, and optimize manufacturing systems with a strong focus on valves and flow control processes. This role will bridge the gap between mechanical hardware and software ensuring that our automated manufacturing systems operate with precision and reliability. This is a hands-on role that demands deep mechanical knowledge, systems thinking, and practical experience with mechatronics and control systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, specify, and optimize flow control systems within manufacturing processes, ensuring precise control of pneumatic pressure and process parameters using valves and sensors.
- Develop and maintain automated control systems that integrate mechanical components with software-driven logic (PLC, SCADA, or embedded control platforms).
- Serve as the technical interface between mechanical hardware and control software, translating engineering requirements into functional control architectures.
- Program and configure control systems to manage actuators, sensors, valves, manifolds, and other electro-mechanical components on the production floor.
- Diagnose and resolve mechanical, electrical, and software challenges in integrated manufacturing systems, and minimize production downtime.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software engineers, process engineers, and quality assurance to deliver reliable production systems.
- Create and maintain technical documentation including wiring diagrams, Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), control logic flowcharts, and equipment specifications.
- Evaluate, select, and qualify mechanical and mechatronic components (sensors, actuators, flow meters, solenoids) for manufacturing applications.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to enhance process efficiency, reduce waste, and improve system reliability.
- Ensure all systems comply with relevant safety standards, engineering codes, and HydroGraph's internal quality requirements.
- Design systems with inherent safety in mind, including emergency shutoff valves, pressure relief devices, over-pressure protection, and fail-safe control logic.
- Ensure all control systems include appropriate safety interlocks and alarm management to detect and respond to abnormal process conditions before they escalate.
- Prepare, review, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Safe Work Instructions (SWIs) for all equipment and processes under the role's scope.
- Collaborate with HSE leader to investigate near-misses, incidents, and equipment failures using root cause analysis (RCA) methodologies and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Ensure all personnel interacting with controlled systems receive adequate safety training and are briefed on hazards specific to valve, flow, and pressure systems.
- Maintain compliance with applicable safety standards including OSHA 1910 (General Industry), ASME codes for pressure systems, and NFPA 70E for electrical safety, while designing and implementing production system.
- Apply RCA methods (5-Why, Fishbone/Ishikawa, FTA, FMEA) to proactively identify potential failure points in production control systems
- Lead or participate in structured RCA investigations following failures, process upsets, or anomalies, clearly document findings and drive corrective actions to closure
- Translate RCA findings into actionable improvements (control parameter adjustments, interlock redesigns, SOP updates, PM schedule changes)
- Maintain a living register of RCA findings, corrective actions, and improvement initiatives with effectiveness tracking
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
- Five years of more proven hands-on experience with valve types, flow control systems, and pneumatic pressure handling processes in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
- Strong mechatronics background with demonstrated understanding of the integration of mechanical, electrical, and software/control systems.
- Practical experience as a controls engineer, including working with PLCs, HMIs, and automated control platforms (e.g., Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or equivalent).
- Solid understanding of how hardware and software interact within automated systems; ability to read and write control logic or configuration code.
- Mechanically inclined with ability to work directly with physical equipment — fabrication, assembly, troubleshooting, and commissioning.
- Familiarity with piping and instrumentations diagrams (P&IDs), schematic drawings, and engineering documentation standards.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose multi-disciplinary system failures.
- Robust experience with CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or equivalent) for mechanical design and documentation.
- Demonstrated proficiency in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) — hands-on experience applying structured methods such as 5-Why, Fishbone/Ishikawa diagrams, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and/or FMEA to identify, investigate, and resolve production control problems.
- Proven ability to translate RCA outcomes into concrete process improvements, including updating control parameters, revising SOPs, and implementing preventive actions that measurably reduce recurrence.
- Working knowledge of Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures and the ability to apply them correctly on mechanical, electrical, and pressurized systems.
- Strong exposure to Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen and other continuous improvement methodologies.
- Demonstrated understanding of industrial safety standards including OSHA General Industry regulations and ASME pressure system codes.
- Experience conducting or participating in risk assessments, hazard identification, and incident investigations in a manufacturing or process environment.
Preferred
- Experience with SCADA systems, data acquisition, or industrial IoT platforms.
- Familiarity with graphene-based materials or advanced materials manufacturing processes.
- Experience working in a chemical manufacturing facility.
- Knowledge of motion control systems, servo drives, and stepper motor controllers.
- Understandings of advanced manufacturing and automation systems to automate and improve difference processes of the production system.
- Understanding of safety instrumented systems (SIS) and functional safety standards (IEC 61511).
- Formal training or certification in RCA methodologies (e.g., TapRooT, Apollo, Kepner-Tregoe, or equivalent structured problem-solving frameworks).
- Experience using data historians, trend analysis, or SPC/SQC tools for early-warning detection of process degradation.
- Familiarity with Safety Integrity Level (SIL) assessments and the design of safety-critical control loops.
Competencies
- Leadership and team motivation
- Accountability and ownership mindset
- Strategic thinking and business acumen
- Stakeholder management and relationship building
- Conflict resolution and negotiation
- Adaptability and flexibility in dynamic environments
- Decision-making under uncertainty
- Attention to detail and quality focus
- Customer service orientation
- Emotional intelligence and active listening
- Critical thinking and creative problem-solving
Work Environment
This role operates in an active chemical/process manufacturing environment and requires regular presence on the plant floor. The engineer will be exposed to industrial equipment, chemical agents, and process systems, and must adhere to all applicable safety protocols at all times.
- Environment: Indoor and outdoor process/chemical plant settings; exposure to heat, noise, fumes, and moving machinery is expected. Must be able to occasionally work outdoors in varying weather conditions to operate valves and manage chemical feedstock supply lines, following all chemical handling and site safety protocols.
- Physical Requirements: Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the shift. Frequent lifting and carrying of equipment, tools, or materials up to 20 lbs; occasional lifting up to 50 lbs with assistance.
- Working at Heights: Must be able to occasionally work at elevations up to 15 ft when troubleshooting and maintaining process equipment, utilizing ladders, platforms, scissor lift or elevated walkways in accordance with site safety requirements.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Use of PPE is mandatory in designated areas, including but not limited to safety glasses, hard hat, steel-toed boots, hearing protection, respiratory protection (breathing mask/respirator) when working in areas with chemical exposure or poor ventilation, and fall protection equipment (full-body harness and lanyard) when working at elevated heights.
- Schedule: Standard business hours, Monday through Friday. Occasional weekend or off-hours work may be required to support planned maintenance, shutdowns, startups, or urgent production challenges.
- Travel: May require occasional travel to other production facilities, client locations, or vendor facilities
Why Join HydroGraph
- Lead the core scientific engine of one of the fastest-growing graphene companies in the world.
- Shape a next-generation materials platform used across aerospace, energy, infrastructure, consumer goods, and defense.
- Work directly with global partners and world-class advisors (GEIC, OEMs, DoD).
- Competitive compensation, equity participation, and career advancement as the company scales.
