Director of Technology - Job Posting
About Seacork:
Seacork Studio is a Vancouver-based startup that makes acoustic panels from seaweed, designed to reduce and store carbon with a circular end-of-life. We help architects and contractors meet acoustic needs and significantly reduce the environmental footprint of interior spaces. We are a passionate, small, interdisciplinary team of designers, engineers, scientists, and ocean advocates rethinking our relationship to materials and the natural world.
The Role:
We’re looking for a hands-on Director of Technology to lead Seacork Studio’s technical development from lab to pilot and toward commercial scale. This is an in-person role located at our facilities in Vancouver, BC.
You will define and execute the technical roadmap across material development, process engineering, and manufacturing readiness, translating product goals into structured experiments, pilot trials, and scalable systems.
This role is both strategic and deeply practical: you’ll guide decisions while working hands-on with our material (~30–40% in lab/pilot).
What You’ll Do:
Lead Technical Development & Execution
- Translate commercial product requirements into structured experimental plans, trial programs, and pilot workstreams that achieve target characteristics
- Break down technical goals into clear weekly and monthly priorities for the team
- Lead formulation, process development, and pilot production activities
- Design and guide experiments to address key challenges (e.g. material consistency, strength, odour, drying, acoustic performance)
- Ensure learnings from trials are captured, synthesized, and translated into next steps
Bridge R&D to Manufacturing
- Develop and refine scalable process flows and unit operations
- Identify bottlenecks, throughput limits, and process constraints
- Adapt lab methods to pilot-scale equipment and real-world conditions
- Improve process repeatability, robustness, and production clarity
- Support the integration of R&D outputs into pilot and future manufacturing
Support the Technical Team with Hands-On Execution
- Stay closely involved in day-to-day lab and pilot work (hands-on support, troubleshooting, coaching)
- Manage and mentor material, scientists, and technical staff
- Maintain momentum, focus, and organization across multiple workstreams
- Run experiments and production batches, then bring your own observations from the bench into technical decisions and team direction
- Build strong documentation practices (SOPs, trial logs, process instructions)
Lead Scale-Up & Manufacturing Readiness
- Contribute to process design, equipment selection, and pilot facility decisions
- Develop early techno-economic models (materials, labour, utilities, yield)
- Define critical-to-quality metrics, specifications, and acceptance criteria
- Support commissioning logic and preparation for larger-scale manufacturing
Enable Strong Technical Decision-Making
- Turn technical observations into clear recommendations, trade-offs, and action plans
- Prioritize work based on impact, risk, and speed
- Align technical development with commercial goals and timelines
- Support communication with partners, manufacturers, investors, and grant funders
Support Technical Communication to External Partners
- Support discussions with investors and grant assessors
- Provide technical input to suppliers, manufacturers, and other technical partners
- Represent Seacork with certification and testing bodies
Who You Are:
Technical Background
- Degree in materials science, chemical/process engineering, or similar
- 5–8+ years of relevant experience developing materials or manufacturing processes
- Experience with scale-up (lab → pilot → production)
- Strong understanding of experimental design, process systems, and quality
Leadership & Execution
- Hands-on, organized, and highly execution-focused
- Able to translate big-picture goals into structured work plans
- Comfortable making decisions under uncertainty
Communication
- Clear communicator with both technical and non-technical audiences
- Able to frame trade-offs, risks, and recommendations effectively
Nice to Have
- Experience with bio-based or low-carbon materials
- Experience with pilot line design or building manufacturing partnerships
- Familiarity with construction materials testing/certification
- Experience working in a startup environment
What we offer:
- Meaningful work at the intersection of climate, materials, and oceans
- High ownership and creative freedom
- Close collaboration with a passionate, interdisciplinary team
- Flexible work environment and room for career growth
Time + Pay:
- Full-time (40 hrs/week)
- Salary: $70,000–$90,000 depending on experience
- Opportunity to share in the long-term growth of the company through equity compensation
The preferred start date for this position is late June / early July 2026, and candidate applications will be received up until May 29th, 2026. To apply, email your cover letter and CV to [email protected] with the subject line “Director of Technology Application”.
Pay: $70,000.00-$90,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
