Pilot Plant Project Manager
2 days ago
Nanterre
About us Recupere Metals has developed a new wire‑forming technology that produces high‑conductivity copper wire without the need for 99.95 % pure copper raw materials. No smelting. No refining. Just a smarter process. By eliminating these costly and highly polluting steps, we are considerably reducing the overall cost of copper‑wire production while putting millions of tonnes of copper scrap currently unsuitable for electrical use. Our technology paves the way for fully circular and cost‑effective copper‑wire production, an essential piece of the global energy transition. We have raised our first round of funding from leading investors, secured strong interest from large commercial offtakers, and demonstrated that we have a way of boosting the world's production of recycled copper. We’re now building our core team, and it’s the perfect time to jump on board. About the role: Pilot Plan Project Manager We’re looking for a Pilot Plant Project Manager to take full ownership of the delivery of our industrial facilities, starting first with the delivery of our pilot plant. Your mandate is to lead the end to end delivery of our industrial scale plants, growing and driving a best in class team and engaging with and driving external stakeholders. You’ll play a pivotal role in turning our copper recycling process into a fully‑fledged industrial reality. This includes the full end-to-end development and operations including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) certification, and utility scopes for our first industrial pilot plant, from late‑stage concept through mechanical completion and hand‑over to commissioning. You’ll steer a multi-million euro build, manage multiple contractors, and ensure the facility is delivered on time, on budget, and above all, safely. • Contract: CDI (permanent), • Location: Nanterre HQ with frequent travel to the pilot‑plant site (Lyon), • Language: English fluency required. French is a strong plus. Your responsibilities • Establish and lead a best in class construction and operations team: Build and mentor a high-performance team of construction managers, site engineers, and technical specialists, • Stakeholder management: Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders (engineering, operations, procurement, finance) and external (authorities, OEMs, investors) to drive business results and deliver industrial scale plants, • Act as the single point of accountability for site execution, • Own the retrofit master plan: create and maintain the L3/L4 schedule, cost baseline, cash‑flow curve, and risk register for all building‑services upgrades and equipment fit‑out, • Lead trade contractors: run selection, manage change orders, supervise installation, and drive close‑out, • Drive safety culture: implement and enforce world‑class HSE practices for a retrofit site, • Manage permits & compliance: coordinate change‑of‑use/building permits, environmental/ICPE requirements, and utility tie‑ins (multi‑MW electrical, process water, natural gas, compressed air), • Control cost & schedule deviations: track earned value, approve progress payments, and protect contingencies, • Operations & Process alignment: phase construction with equipment deliveries, commissioning windows, and ramp‑up targets, • Certification & validation: after commissioning, lead any client‑required facility certifications/validation, plus building occupancy attestations, • Report to leadership & investors: provide clear, data‑driven updates on progress, risks, and mitigations. Ideal background • 10+ years delivering multimillion industrial retrofit/tenant‑improvement projects with heavy process equipment, • Degree in civil, mechanical, or industrial engineering, • Experience in the metallurgy industry: non‑ferrous metals, cable, rolling, foundry, smelting, or continuous casting, • Proven track record of mechanical completion, delivering results on time and on budget, • Strong team leadership and stakeholder management skills to drive delivery of projects, • Hands‑on with utility/building‑services upgrades (MV/LV power distribution, compressed air, process/chilled water, gas, fire‑protection), • Working knowledge of French permits/codes (urbanisme, ICPE), labour law, and landlord approvals, • Green‑to‑brownfield conversions: installing high‑load machinery in standard warehouses, • Familiarity with construction management software (e.g., Primavera, Procore, BIM) and digital reporting tools, • A background in start‑ups or fast‑growing deep‑tech factories would be a plus. What we offer We’re building a world‑class industrial deep‑tech company from the ground up. You'll play a key role in scaling a technology that directly impacts global electrification and the circular economy. This is a rare opportunity to shape the industrial future of a critical material at the heart of the energy transition. • CDI contract, • Competitive compensation + BSPCE (employee stock‑option) package, • 50 % health‑insurance coverage, • Hybrid work model (office in Nanterre), • Direct influence on a flagship project at the heart of the energy‑transition supply chain We believe deep tech needs deep diversity. If you’re excited by our mission but don’t tick every single box, we still want to hear from you. Versatility and a hunger to learn are essential at this stage of our journey. Join us to re-wire the copper industry!
