Engineer I, Reliability

We produce the world’s best strawberries, and our Engineering Team is foundational to making that possible.

As an Engineer I, Reliability at Oishii, you will ensure our highly automated, data-driven farms operate safely, efficiently, and predictably at scale. Sitting at the intersection of hardware, software, controls, and operations, you will analyze and improve the reliability of complex systems— conveyors, irrigation, water processing, HVAC, electrical, etc. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a hands-on environment where they have experience with root cause analysis of complex problems and are skilled at prototyping and implementing reliable solutions at scale.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Lead the integration of electro-mechanical systems and assemblies, focusing on prototyping, validation, and deployment.
• Identify recurring failure modes and drive systemic reliability improvements by implementing design changes.
• Rapidly diagnose issues using logs, sensor data, alarms, and on-site investigation to restore system performance and minimize downtime.
• Lead in-farm efforts to drive stability outcomes across the entire facility’s infrastructure (e.g. conveyors, irrigation, water processing, HVAC, lighting, electrical, etc), and report Key Performance Indicators to Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and Facility Management stakeholders on a daily basis.
• Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Commissioning, and Product teams to deploy fixes into live production environments.
• Work closely with Maintenance to develop, implement, train and refine reliability SOPs and programs to minimize system down time.
• Influence system architecture and design standards by feeding real-world reliability data and root cause analysis back into upstream engineering decisions.

Who will love this job: Individuals who identify with our Core Values and exhibit skills within those values will thrive at Oishii.

• One Team, One Fight!
  • Ability to quickly shift priorities to meet deadlines and effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, clearly, concisely and with purpose at various levels of the organization.
  • Ability to work cross functionally at all levels including across locations, and collaborate with a focus on supporting & understanding the evolving business needs of a startup environment.
  • Ability to lead through others and develop teams with a diverse level of experience to succeed.
• Focus.
  • Ability to remove obstacles in order to prioritize which could include problem solving, working through ambiguity and using fact based or sound judgment in the absence of process or policy. We are building it, but need to manage through the process with good judgment and a bias for action.
  • Ability to synthesize information quickly to aid in the troubleshooting process.
• GSD (Get Sh** Done!)
  • Possessing an entrepreneurial mindset with the tenacity to develop ideas, process, and policy and implement them rapidly.
  • Capable of prioritizing tasks and considering the resources available when doing so.
  • A bias for action! Ability to hold yourself accountable and take ownership of driving results that impact company outcomes.
  • Track record of effectively handling complex employee relations issues, and addressing sensitive information and difficult situations with tact, discretion, and confidentiality.

What we look for in an Engineer I, Reliability:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a STEM-related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in automated industrial or manufacturing environments in a technical capacity.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting complex industrial systems across multiple disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, pneumatics, and controls.
• Strong practical knowledge of mechanical systems and assemblies within deployment or production facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to perform root cause analysis and rapidly prototype and implement reliable engineering solutions at scale.
• Proven experience working in shop and on-site environments using power tools, machining equipment (e.g., CNC routers, lathes, milling machines), and rapid prototyping tools such as 3D printers.
• Foundational knowledge to read and interpret equipment schematics, P&IDs, OEM manuals, and mechanical and electrical drawings.
• Clear and effective communication skills, with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally and tailor messaging to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additional Details:

• This is an onsite role with 5 days/week in Phillipsburg, NJ.
• The role does require on-call support/troubleshooting which may include some nights and weekends.

Perks at Oishii:

• Compensation: commensurate with experience
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Life Insurance + Long Term Disability Insurance
• EAP Access
• Pet Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (Roth & Traditional)
• Paid Parental leave
• Office social events including happy hours, parties, and community service projects
• Employee activity groups for basketball players, Yoga Enthusiasts, runners…

About Oishii:

At Oishii, we grow the best fruit in the world by deploying ground-breaking vertical farming technology that pushes the boundaries of agriculture. We’re the first in the WORLD to grow fruit in an indoor vertical farm at commercial scale. We started with strawberries, which we debuted at Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, the three star Michelin restaurant considered by critics to be among the best in the world. Since then, we have supplied our strawberries to food-loving consumers, world-class restaurants, and specialty retailers across NYC. Our proprietary technology enables us to grow the very best produce year-round, at the same high level of quality, all without using any pesticides.

Oishii has been profiled in Eater, NPR, Time Magazine, and Fortune. Oishi was also one of the Fast Companies Most Innovative Companies of 2022.

At Oishii, everything we do works toward accomplishing our mission of transforming agriculture sustainably while bringing produce that truly delights people everywhere. This requires farmers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and members of many other backgrounds to work together day-in and day-out to innovate, while operating increasingly large farms. We have an amazing mission-driven team of highly motivated and engaged members. Learn More https://oishii.com/.