🚀 Join Spark Cleantech : At the Heart of Sustainable Innovation

🌱 Sector: Deep Tech / Cleantech / Innovation

✨ Who We Are

Spark Cleantech is a fast-growing and innovative start-up developing a breakthrough process that replaces the combustion of hydrocarbons in high-temperature industrial furnaces and in materials production with an alternative that is not only fully decarbonised, but also economically competitive and requires only minimal adaptation to existing industrial processes.

Following the successful deployment of an industrial pilot on a client site in 2024 and a major funding round in 2025, we are now building our first industrial standard.

Our ambition is bold: to address, by 2027, sectors that represent 10% of the global CO2 emissions on a multi hundred Bn€ market.

To support this growth, we aim to hire around 20 talented individuals to join our team who share our vision, contributing to a more sustainable world, and our values: positivity, passion, and high standards. We are looking to bring together top experts in their fields to industrialize a technology that comes with exciting challenges.

Our team is passionate, positive, and committed to building a cleaner future. If you’re looking to join a high-impact, ambitious, and innovative project, we’d love to hear from you!

🎯 Your Role

As part of the operations department and reporting to the COO, your main mission will be to prepare and execute all activities requiring the SPRING test bench to be powered. This encompasses the full operational lifecycle from commissioning and start-up through to routine operations, planned maintenance and inspection campaigns.

The Field Operations Manager defines and procures the necessary spare parts (commissioning spares and capital spares), manages the real-time process database and the configuration management database (Digital Twin), and ensures full operational readiness of Spark's industrial facility and operations teams.

As site HSE focal point, he/she ensures that all activities on site are conducted in full compliance with Spark's HSEQ framework and applicable regulations.

Your main responsibilities will include:

Commissioning & Start-Up

Participate in engineering studies to ensure maintainability and inspectability are embedded in the design (Design for Maintenance / Design for Inspection).
Lead and coordinate all pre-commissioning and commissioning activities in close collaboration with the Engineering and Project teams.
Develop and own the commissioning procedures, punch-list management, and handover dossiers.
Manage the SPRING first start-up campaign and performance testing.

Operations

Organize and manage shift teams for round-the-clock operations; define shift schedules, roles and responsibilities.
Monitor real-time plant performance using the inhouse « Cockpit production monitoring tool »; drive operational optimization.
Manage operational events via the event log and ensure systematic root cause analysis and corrective action tracking.
Maintain and update the configuration management database (Digital Twin) to reflect as-builtand as-operated plant status.
Ensure production objective are met in time, quality, quantity and cost of goods sold.

Maintenance & Inspection

Define the maintenance strategy (preventive, predictive, corrective) and implement it within the CMMS.
Manage the spare parts strategy: define, source and stock commissioning spares and capital spares.
Oversee the inspection program using the inspection tool (with due-date tracking and compliance follow-up).
Ensure timely execution of maintenance work orders, including contractor management and permit-to-work application.

Digital Tools & Data Management

Operate and maintain the full suite of operational digital tools: Cockpit (production monitoring), pre-com / commissioning tool, interlock application, CMMS (maintenance and stock management), planning and shift management tool (Jira-like), event log, inspection tool, HSE passport (training and qualification), and permit-to-work system.
Ensure real-time database integrity and reliability; liaise with the Data and System Architecture teams on data flows.

HSE – Site Focal Point

Act as the on-site HSE responsible: enforce safety rules, conduct risk assessments, lead safety briefings and toolbox talks , devise and implement permit to work system.
Manage the permit-to-work system for all site activities (own work and contractors).
Manage environmental compliance on site (emissions, waste, reporting) in coordination with the HSEQ Manager.

🧠 Your Profile

Master's degree (Bac+5) in Engineering: Process, Chemical, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering.
Minimum 10 years of experience in industrial operations, ideally in carbon black or powder chemistry industries (oxides, cement, activated carbon).
Proven experience in commissioning and start-up of continuous process plants.
Experience in shift team management and 24/7 industrial operations.
Track record in maintenance management (preventive and corrective), spare parts strategy and CMMS operation.
Experience with industrial digital tools (DCS, SCADA, CMMS, permit-to-work systems)
Fluent in English & French
Process operations knowledge: understanding of heat, mass and energy balances; ability to troubleshoot process deviations.
Commissioning management: pre-commissioning checklists, punch-list management, FAT/SAT, performance testing.
Maintenance management: CMMS operation, maintenance planning, spare parts management, contractor management.
HSE and permit-to-work systems: occupational safety, ATEX environments, emergency response.
Digital tools proficiency: operational monitoring platforms, CMMS, data historian, shift management tools.
Good writing skills: procedures, operating manuals, technical reports, regulatory documentation.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and ability to manage, motivate and develop shift teams in a 24/7 environment.
Rigorous, safety-first mindset with the ability to stop work when safety is at risk.
Result- and delivery-oriented: ability to transform operational objectives into actionable plans.
Adaptable and pragmatic: comfortable in a fast-growing startup environment with evolving processes.

💡 What We Offer

A dynamic environment within a high-potential Deeptech start-up
Diverse and evolving responsibilities around an innovative product
A supportive, talented and passionate team
A meaningful mission: contributing to a more sustainable future

🧪 Recruitment Process

We keep things fast and simple:

A brief 15-minute phone call with our HR team to get to know each other and discuss the role and your background
An in-person meeting with the hiring manager, for a more in-depth conversation
If the discussion goes well, we’ll follow up with a technical case study that will also allow you to know us better
Final step: reference checks

📣 A Note on Diversity and Confidence

Studies show that many women only apply if they meet 100% of the listed criteria. The skills listed here are guidelines, not strict requirements.

We’d be delighted to hear from you even if you don’t tick every single box. We're looking to build teams that can innovate and grow together.

All applications are welcome, regardless of background, age, origin or gender, don’t hesitate to apply !