Associate Director Capital Projects, Project Management

About the Role

Alta is seeking an Associate Director, Capital Projects to lead the delivery of our first commercial-scale facilities and subsequent capital programs. This role owns end-to-end execution of capital projects that will establish Alta’s pre-processing and protein-based separation capabilities at commercial scale.

You will be responsible for projects totaling roughly $100M in capital, spanning both brownfield and greenfield sites. The work will be weighted toward the core protein-based separation process with supporting pre-processing infrastructure. You will partner closely with Alta’s R&D, engineering, and operations teams while driving schedule, cost, risk, and contractor performance. As the company scales, the role will expand to a broader portfolio of capital projects and the opportunity to build a small team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the full project lifecycle for capital programs from early planning and FEED through detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover — with clear responsibility for delivering operational readiness and a successful transition to sustained plant performance.
• Develop and maintain integrated master schedules and project budgets; track progress, forecast costs, and drive accountability across internal teams and external contractors.
• Lead day-to-day interface management with EPC firms, specialty contractors, equipment vendors, and Alta technical teams.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks related to schedule, cost, technical integration, permitting, and constructability; escalate issues with clear recommendations.
• Ensure strong coordination between pre-processing systems and the core protein-based separation process so that the overall facility meets performance, safety, and operability targets.
• Drive rigorous project controls, change management, and documentation practices appropriate for a first-of-a-kind commercial facility.
• Provide clear, structured status reporting to the Executive Leadership.
• Contribute to the maturation of Alta’s capital project delivery processes as the portfolio grows.
• Over time, help build and lead a small capital projects team as additional facilities come online.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Metallurgical, Process, or related engineering discipline.
• 7-12 years of progressive experience delivering capital projects in industrial processing, mining/mineral processing, metals recycling, chemical manufacturing, oil & gas, or related heavy process industries.
• Demonstrated experience leading or co-leading capital projects in the $50–100M+ range through full lifecycle (engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning).
• Experience with both brownfield and greenfield process facilities.
• Strong project controls skills: scheduling, cost management, risk management, and contractor oversight.
• Ability to partner effectively with process and discipline engineers; baseline understanding of process plant design and operations is required.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills in a fast-moving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in industrial recycling, e-waste processing, rare earth or critical minerals processing, or hydrometallurgical facilities.
• PMP, PE, or equivalent project/construction management certification.
• Prior work in a high-growth or first-of-a-kind technology environment - specifically demo plant(s) build our or first of a kind commercial plants.
• Familiarity with government or dual-use program requirements is a plus.

What We Offer

The opportunity to lead the physical build-out of Alta’s commercial-scale facilities and help secure a resilient domestic supply of critical materials. A mission-driven team operating at the intersection of advanced technology, national security, and industrial scale-up. High impact and direct partnership with senior leadership.

Competitive compensation and benefits package. The starting salary range for this position is $170,000 to $200,000 annually, commensurate with experience and background. Benefits include 401(k), medical/dental/vision coverage, flexible time off, paid parental leave, paid sick leave, and company holidays.