Facilities Technician

Hippo Harvest is recruiting a Facilities Technician to serve as a hands-on expert maintaining and improving our diverse infrastructure systems.

We are a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) startup that leverages plant science, machine learning, and robotics to economically and sustainably grow vegetables in greenhouses.

In a world increasingly impacted by climate change, pollution, and population growth, conventional vegetable production is unsustainable. Greenhouse hydroponics uses up to 90% less water, increases yields, reduces food waste, uses fewer pesticides, eliminates fertilizer runoff, and enables local production. Still, greenhouse producers remain a niche due to high capital and labor costs and operational complexity.

Hippo Harvest has broken through this barrier by developing the first vertically integrated physical AI platform for growing leafy greens that are cost-competitive with conventional field production. Hippo's products deliver longer shelf life, better flavor, and more reliable supply. We're recruiting a Facilities Technician to ensure our complex agricultural infrastructure operates reliably and efficiently as we scale our operations.

As a Facilities Technician at Hippo Harvest, you will be the hands-on expert maintaining and improving our diverse infrastructure systems—from HVAC and refrigeration to robotics integration, electrical systems, water treatment, and fixed automation. Your work will directly enable our robots and growing systems to perform at their best, keeping our farm running 24/7 to deliver fresh, sustainable produce.

We are accepting applications from Tech I through Tech III (with management scope).

• Perform preventive maintenance and repairs on electrical, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, water treatment (RO systems, nutrient dosing), and plumbing systems across our production facility, partnering with expert service providers as needed.
• Maintain and troubleshoot greenhouse environmental controls including ventilation systems, shade/blackout curtains, heating systems, LED grow lights, and climate monitoring sensors with support from our engineering team.
• Support robotics operations by maintaining infrastructure that enables our robots—including navigation hardware, network equipment, and power systems.
• Maintain packhouse equipment including conveyors, air compressors, refrigeration systems, and packaging machinery to ensure food safety and production continuity.
• Monitor and respond to building automation systems, environmental alerts, and equipment status notifications to prevent downtime.
• Implement improvements to existing infrastructure to increase reliability, efficiency, and safety.
• Maintain backup power systems including four generators and coordinate with external vendors for specialized repairs.
• Conduct regular inspections and maintain detailed maintenance records using our digital systems.
• Work collaboratively with engineering, operations, and growing teams to prioritize maintenance activities and minimize impact on production
• Respond to urgent maintenance needs and troubleshoot equipment failures quickly to minimize crop loss.

• 3+ years of hands-on experience maintaining commercial or industrial facilities, preferably in agriculture, food production, or automated manufacturing environments
• Basic working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, water, and or HVAC systems.
• Mechanical aptitude and the ability to diagnose and repair diverse equipment from conveyors to climate control systems.
• Comfort working around robotics and automation—you don't need to program robots, but you should enjoy maintaining the infrastructure that supports them.
• Ability to read technical manuals, schematics, and equipment documentation.
• Self-directed work style with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong aptitude with productivity platforms like Google Sheets and comfort using technology, apps, scanners, and planning tools.
• Physical capability to perform maintenance tasks including lifting, climbing ladders, and working in varied environmental conditions.
• Willingness to be on-call for urgent…