Senior Hydrocarbon Extraction Specialist

At Rubicon Organics, our vision is to be the most trusted house of premium cannabis brands – creating elevated experiences for people everywhere. Our mission is to build brands people believe in by delivering elevated experiences in all we do. Through uncompromising quality, purposeful innovation, and trusted partnerships, we create products and relationships that enrich lives and help shape the future of cannabis.

We are seeking a highly experienced Hydrocarbon Extraction Specialist to lead the operational readiness, commissioning support, and production of our in‑house extraction facility.

This role is critical to the successful launch of the hydrocarbon extraction operation, acting as the technical anchor for process execution, product quality, and knowledge transfer. The successful candidate will bring hands‑on expertise in hydrocarbon extraction processes and will play a key role in:

Supporting equipment commissioning and validation

Developing SOPs and operational standards

Delivering consistent, high‑quality vape oil and dab‑able resin outputs

Training and scaling internal teams

Success in this role is defined by safe start‑up, stable operations, high‑quality outputs, and strong internal capability built through knowledge transfer.

Key Responsibilities
Commissioning & Start‑Up Support

Act as the primary technical owner during commissioning and start‑up of hydrocarbon extraction systems.

Work directly with Engineering, OEMs, and external consultants to execute commissioning and validation plans.

Translate equipment design intent into practical, production‑ready operations.

Identify technical gaps, start‑up risks, and readiness issues; drive resolution before and during go‑live.

Support development and execution of IQ/OQ/PQ‑style validation activities where required.

Extraction Operations & Process Execution

Own day‑to‑day execution of hydrocarbon extraction processes during ramp‑up and early steady‑state.

Operate and optimize closed‑loop hydrocarbon extraction systems to deliver consistent, commercial‑grade crude oil, vape oil, and dabbleresin.

Establish and control critical process parameters (temperature, pressure, solvent ratios, cycle times).

Drive optimization of yield, throughput, solvent recovery efficiency, and batch‑to‑batch consistency.

Troubleshoot complex process and equipment issues in real time; lead root cause analysis and corrective actions.

SOP Development & Process Standardization

Develop, document, and refine Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for:

Extraction processes

Start‑up and shutdown

Cleaning and maintenance

Safety protocols

Ensure procedures align with GPP/GMP and regulatory requirements.

Establish process control limits and best practices for repeatability.

Training & Knowledge Transfer

Act as the primary trainer for internal operators and technicians.

Translate consultant/OEM knowledge into practical, repeatable operations.

Build internal capability to reduce long‑term reliance on external expertise.

Safety & Compliance

Ensure strict adherence to company safety protocols and regulatory compliance (Health Canada, WHMIS, etc.).

Identify and mitigate risks associated with hydrocarbon handling, pressurized systems, solvent storage and transfer.

Promote a safety‑first operational culture.

Product & Process Development Ownership

Act as the technical process owner for all hydrocarbon‑derived product formats during development, scale‑up, and commercialization.

Partner with Innovation / R&D to translate product concepts (e.g., target viscosity, terpene profile, stability, downstream compatibility) into robust, repeatable extraction processes.

Lead extraction‑side experimentation to support:

New product formats (e.g., vape oil, live resin, shatter, future derivatives)

Process variations (fresh vs cured material, solvent ratios, run parameters)

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work closely with:

Engineering (for system performance and modifications)

Maintenance (for reliability and troubleshooting)

Operations (for production planning)

Provide input on future equipment needs based on the product roadmap.

Qualifications & Experience
Required

5+ years of hands‑on experience in hydrocarbon extraction (cannabis or…