Technical Operations Coordinator
GENOMINES
Technical Operations Coordinator
GENOMINES
Plant-based phytomining to extract battery metals
At Genomines, our mission is to pioneer a new era of sustainable metal production by farming plants
that hyperaccumulate metal. Through synthetic biology and cutting-edge technology, we harness the power of nature to create plants that can farm for metals while decontaminating soils and creating cleaner lands for agriculture. Our ultimate goal is to become the world's first carbon-negative nickel producer, using sustainable, cost-competitive methods to extract the valuable resources our society needs for the energy transition.
ROLE OVERVIEW
The Technical Operations Coordinator is a senior individual-contributor role responsible for keeping the CTO closely connected across R&D and Operations and extending her presence where she cannot personally be.
This role gives the CTO a trusted bridge between R&D and Operations - someone who reports accurately, flags what needs her attention, and acts as her proxy on defined matters.
The Technical Operations Coordinator will:
Act as the day-to-day link between the CTO and the R&D and Operations teams, keeping her reporting cadence accurate and current.
Represent the CTO at sites and meetings she cannot attend, and carry out delegated tasks, always reporting back.
Track the operational and techno-economic indicators that matter - cost per plant, throughput, scale-up - and flag what needs attention.
Track regulatory and IP timelines in a support capacity, flagging risks without owning the underlying strategy.
This is a hands-on, individual-contributor support role with no line authority over the R&D or Operations teams.
The ideal candidate brings a track record of cross-functional coordination and direct support to a senior leader; a deeptech, biotech, or startup background is a plus, but trustworthiness and follow-through matter most.
CROSS-TEAM LIAISON & INFORMATION FLOW
Act as the day-to-day link between the CTO and the R&D and Operations teams, sitting in on relevant meetings to stay current on what each side is working on.
Keep information flowing accurately in both directions between technical and operational teams.
Improve the clarity of updates shared between R&D, Operations, and the CTO so nothing gets lost in translation.
Give the CTO a connected view of both sides of the business without her needing to personally sit in every meeting or chase every update.
REPORTING & OPERATING CADENCE
Prepare the CTO's recurring reports, summaries, trackers, and briefing materials, covering R&D progress, operations status, budgets, and risk.
Keep this reporting accurate and current without requiring the CTO to assemble or correct it herself.
Own the reliable, accurate picture of what's happening across R&D and Operations at any given time - the core deliverable of the role.
ACTING ON THE CTO'S BEHALF
Travel to operational sites and represent the CTO there when she cannot attend in person.
Take on specific tasks and follow-ups the CTO delegates, acting as her proxy on clearly defined matters.
Report back on every delegated matter rather than making independent decisions for R&D or Operations, extending the CTO's presence and follow-through to sites and situations she cannot personally be in.
TECHNO-ECONOMIC & SCALE-UP MONITORING
Track key operational and techno-economic indicators, including cost per plant, production throughput, and scale-up assumptions.
Monitor pilot operations status across active initiatives.
Flag anything that needs the CTO's attention before it becomes a problem, giving her a current operational pulse without tracking every data point herself.
REGULATORY & IP TRACKING (SUPPORT ONLY)
Track timelines and status for regulatory workstreams, such as GMO and microbiology authorizations.
Track IP matters including patent timelines and external counsel interactions.
Flag risks or delays to the CTO promptly, keeping regulatory and IP deadlines visible without owning regulatory or IP strategy - that stays with the CTO, legal, and technical leads.
No specific degree required; a Bachelor's degree in engineering or biological/life sciences is a plus and helps build credibility with R&D, but structured thinking and follow-through matter more than credentials.
3+ years of experience in a role requiring cross-functional coordination, reporting, or direct support of a senior leader.
Demonstrated track record coordinating across teams and reporting directly to a senior leader - for example as a program or project coordinator, operations coordinator, or in a direct support role to an executive.
Proven ability to act as the connective tissue between teams without owning their work, and to act on someone else's behalf without overstepping.
Background in deeptech, biotech, industrial technology, or a venture-backed startup is a plus, though sector experience matters less here than trustworthiness and mindset.
TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL COMPETENCIES
Ability to follow work across R&D and Operations closely enough to report on it accurately and flag what matters, without needing to run or own that work directly.
Skilled at turning scattered updates into a short, clear brief.
Comfortable enough with technical and operational topics to ask the right questions of R&D and Operations teams, without needing a technical background.
Exercises sound judgment about what is shared and with whom, and earns trust by keeping sensitive information appropriately confidential.
Turns scattered inputs into clear, structured reports and briefs that need no rework.
Builds genuine trust with counterparts across R&D, Operations, and the CTO's office - the kind of relationship that holds up under pressure.
Adjusts fluidly as priorities, sites, and demands shift, staying comfortable without a fixed routine.
Takes ownership of what is delegated end-to-end and follows through without needing reminders.
Operates effectively without formal authority, earning cooperation from R&D and Operations through credibility and trust rather than positional power.
Genomines pioneers plant-based metal extraction (phytomining/agromining) by using genetically enhanced hyperaccumulator plants to farm battery-grade nickel and other critical metals from soils too dilute for traditional mining. Metals are then recovered from harvested biomass through bioleaching and low-carbon processing. This approach aims to lower costs and emissions compared with conventional mining, supported by collaborations with automakers like Hyundai Motor Group and Jaguar Land Rover. The company differentiates itself by applying genetic enhancements to boost metal uptake in plants and by focusing on scalable, low-emission metal production from marginal soils. Genomines’ goal is to provide a reliable supply of battery metals with smaller environmental impact, enabling commercial offtake and broader adoption of phytomining at scale.
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