Project Director – Industrial Plant Engineering in the Bioeconomy (m/f/d)

We’re solving global plastic pollution – and you can be part of the solution!

With our groundbreaking technology, we transform agricultural plant residues into an innovative and environmentally friendly biomaterial – bio-based, plastic-free, and compostable. A material that leaves no harmful traces. Our goal is to replace as much conventional plastic as possible – and that’s where you come in.

As a Project Director for Industrial Plant Engineering (m/f/d), you will play a key role in the realization of our large-scale production facilities (investment volume > €100M), contributing to establishing traceless as a pioneer in the sustainable materials industry.

With your expertise in industrial plant construction and project leadership, you will manage the entire project lifecycle – from concept development and detailed planning to commissioning. You’ll ensure that communication, processes, and structures run smoothly and that all stakeholders collaborate effectively. Your proactive risk management and strategic foresight enable you to identify and address challenges early on. 

Your extensive experience in volatible and ambiguous environments enables you to build first of a kind production capacities that are scalable and future-proof. In this way, you’ll make a decisive contribution to realizing our vision of a plastic-free future and take sustainable innovation to the next level.

Your responsibilities:

• Leading of industrial plant construction projects, including building and utility infrastructure, from planning and permitting through construction to commissioning and handover to operations.
• Ensuring that all project objectives regarding schedule, budget, cash-flow, quality, safety and sustainability are met and adequately reported.
• Delivering projects in suitable methods like EPCM, EPC or in-house management.
• Communication, alignment and reporting with internal and external stakeholders (executive management, specialist departments, service providers, authorities & board members).
• Responsibility for risk management, quality assurance and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Establish a clear project structure with defined responsibilities, effective decision-making and scope management processes and other relevant project workflows, including resource and budget planning.
• Foster transparent communication structures and a project culture based on trust, accountability and respect
• Leadership of interdisciplinary teams and close collaboration with the management team.
• Champion innovative, sustainable and circular approaches in construction and engineering including ESG monitoring and reporting
• Strategic planning and scaling – not only operational execution and program management, but also forward-looking capacity planning, evaluating of new sites and shaping of our scaling strategy.

• University degree in mechanical engineering, process engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering or a comparable qualification.
• Extensive experience (+10 years) in managing complex, large-scale industrial facility projects (investment volumes exceeding €100M).Excellent communication skills towards internal and external stakeholders
• Proven experience in different project delivery methods (e.g. EPC, EPCM).
• Strong technical understanding of plant construction, process engineering and production operations – ideally in bioeconomy, chemical industry or similar sectors.
• Proven track record of delivering complex projects on time, within budget and at the required quality standards.
• Strategic foresight and entrepreneurial mindset
• Familiarity with legal requirements, technical standards and permitting procedures.
• Skilled in risk, change and claim management, and working with EPCM and turn-key work package contractors
• Hands-on mentality and a solution-oriented mindset.
• Excellent decision-making skills and analytical thinking, with the ability to manage complexity and ambiguity
• You combine strategic oversight with empathetic leadership, creating an environment where accountability, trust and motivation thrive.
• Proficiency in ERP systems, CAD software and MS Project is an advantage.
• Fluency in both German and English, written and spoken.

Why join us?

At traceless, you have the opportunity to do work that truly matters – for the planet and for future generations. With the launch of our first large-scale production plant in Hamburg-Harburg at the end of 2025, an exciting new chapter begins for us: industrial scale-up and entry into the commercial market. We are growing rapidly and are looking for committed people who want to help shape the future of truly sustainable materials.

What you can expect:

• Meaningful work with real environmental impact

• Start-up spirit combined with industrial ambition and plenty of room to shape your role

• Personal and professional growth in a fast-scaling company

• An inclusive, international team with more than 18 nationalities

• Flat hierarchies and a fair, respectful company culture