Do you want to work at a highly fast-growing international organization? This is your chance!

At Growy (www.growy.nl), we develop innovative and disruptive vertical farming technology that enables us to grow high-quality crops all over the world at a competitive price. With the development of our new fully automated vertical farm, Growy is ready for the future of food supply. From its existing cells in Amsterdam, Growy, through its sub-brand Chef's farm, already delivers leafy greens to many top restaurants in the Netherlands. The head office is in Amsterdam and is slowly but surely expanding abroad.

What you’ll do

Our Growy Tech department is looking for more farm builders. This department deals with all technical matters around the farm: robotization, sensoring, seeding, harvesting, climate control and software/firmware development. As a mechanical engineer you will be developing new machines and equipment as well as improving systems that are already in use. Your tasks will include the entire process from ideation until final documentation.

A central part of our farm is a machine that we call robot. It takes care of the plants by giving them water, collect data, and transports the plants to the right position. Other systems that you could be involved in are machines for harvesting, cleaning, seeding, etc.
As a part of a multi-disciplinary team with embedded software developers, electronics and mechanical engineers, your focus will be on developing the next version of systems.

Your responsibilities will be:

• Design new systems such as the robot, or other systems for harvesting, cleaning, seeding, etc. It is your responsibility to come up with, and select, the best ideas to solve problems. You will design the machine or system in detail in 3D CAD, keeping a good focus on manufacturability, safety, hygiene and costs.
  

• Test new concepts for solving sub-problems in quick prototypes, so you know quickly if ideas actually can work. Together with our test engineer, you will also execute and organize duration tests of prototypes and iterations of the machine.
  

• Calculate the strength of main components in your design to make sure parts are not too weak or exaggeratedly strong. We do not expect a full FEA analysis of components, just basic calculation on important components. You will also be responsible for the calculation and selection of motor sizes.
  

• Documentation and certification. You will be responsible for the full documentation of the machine you’ve designed. That includes full documentation of the components you’ve designed, making and maintaining the bill of materials, writing operation and maintenance manuals, and safety analysis according to the CE machine safety guidelines.
  

• Procurement. You will be responsible for finding adequate suppliers for non-standard components, as well as getting quotations, and making sure that parts are getting delivered.
  

• Communication. All major decisions should be communicated with relevant stakeholders, such as engineering, operations, maintenance, biology, finance, management, etc.
  

• Planning. You will be responsible for giving estimates on project duration and you will try to comply with deadlines.
  

• Workshop management: like everybody else, it is your responsibility to keep the workshop organized and clean. This exceeds the responsibility of your own tools, materials and projects. Everyone is responsible for the workshop as a whole. Feedback towards colleagues that are lagging behind in this responsibility is encouraged (in a constructive manner).
  

What you’ll bring

Technical Skills

• Deep and broad experience in CAD (> 5 years), preferably Fusion 360. You know how to make efficient and logical 3D models, working with libraries and sheet metal components.
  

• Good knowledge on production methods and materials. We mainly work with designs for digital manufacturing, such as laser cutting, cnc bending, 3D printing, and sometimes milling. Occasionally we make use of injection molding, cnc milling, and roll forming. We mainly use standard materials, such as steel, stainless steel, plastics and aluminium. You are aware of cost implications of these methods and materials.
  

• Hands-on practical. You are capable to assemble prototypes of the machines you design. You know how to work with manual and power tools.
  

• Basic understanding of other disciplines. You understand the basic principles of electronics, software, firmware, plant biology, and business to the extend where it interferes with the mechanical design. You are eager to fill inevitable knowledge gaps.
  

Competencies

• Cooperative. You are capable and willing to work with other team members and you like to help out where needed.
  

• Positive mindset. You can handle uncertainties and set-backs that are inherent to a development process, especially in the circumstances of a scale-up, where time pressure is high and focus might shift.
  

• Pragmatic. You are able to deal with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based rather on practical rather than theoretical considerations. You do things well, but good is good enough. We are not looking for perfectionists.
  

• Communicative. You can express your thoughts well to other team members. And you can explain new information well to not so technical colleagues. You are capable to speak up, if you feel that the interests of the company are at stake. You can also accept statements of colleagues with more in depth knowledge about the topic. You’re a fluent English speaker.
  

• Situational awareness. You understand the interests of the individual departments within the company. You can balance between these interests to support the company as a whole, the best as you can.
  

Qualifications and details

• Bachelor or Master degree in mechanical engineering.
  

• > 5 years of experience in a similar role with comparable tasks and responsibilities.
  

• Pro-active personality
  

What we offer

• 26 vacation days based on a 40-hour work week
  
• Fresh vitamins at your disposal every day, we have lunch together and there is always plenty of fruit and salad available;
  
• A good pension plan of which we pay 60% of the premium
  

We have a flat hierarchy structure and take decisions as a team. This structure ensures everybody is engaged in providing input, and everybody is involved in decisions for our processes. We provide freedom in your work and expect responsibility in return. You know best how to do your job while taking ownership of your work. As a person, you are eager to learn, and you have the ability and attitude to explore new things both in your professional and personal development. We appreciate sharing knowledge with others, and we are open to learning from each other. We value your experiences, drive, and passions in life.

Why Growy?
At Growy, you get the chance to be part of a diverse team shaping the future of agriculture. From robotics engineers to biologists, we all share a passion for innovation and sustainability.

Around 60 people from different corners of the world work here in Amsterdam.