Process Engineer

Job: Process Engineer 

Department:

Industrial Manufacturing

Location:

La Porte, Tx

Travel Involved:

0-5%

Description:

The Process Engineer position provides support for polypropylene Spheripol plant at the La Porte facility. The candidate will monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize the Spheripol unit to drive process and product improvements while maintaining a strong safety and environmental compliance focus.  The team member will identify, recommend, and implement strategic projects in the Spheripol to improve unit performance.  The individual will contribute in a team environment and establish working relationships with onsite and offsite functional groups to achieve results.

 Responsibilities include:

• Monitor and analyze plant performance indicators and develop systems that drive improvements and sustain value in the areas of health, safety, environment, production rates, reliability, cost, and quality.
• Implement all Technology Improvements and participate in Technical Exchange Meetings (Internal and External). 
• Develop FEL 1 and 2 for Investment Projects and support the remaining gates (FEL3, PDP) including commissioning, training and start up.  Participates in reviews of designs for Investment Projects prepared by outside contractors, vendors, fabricators, and manufacturers. Work closely with Automation to prepare all process control descriptions for improvements or new investment projects.
• Identify/conduct non-CAPEX process improvements (Continuous Improvement)
• Apply technical knowledge to detect causes of deviations in reliability, quality, capacity, yield, and energy consumption.  Help resolve chronic Quality issues and Customer Complaints.
•  Support RCA analysis for all Process Safety incidents/near misses and support the analysis and identification of RCA that may have causes associated with the process and equipment.
• Lead and develop plan for new Product, catalyst and technologies trials.
• Participate/facilitate in LOPA/PHA/DUST studies, develop action plan and resolve, PHA action items, evaluate plant risk scenarios and their protection and mitigation barriers, develop/maintain site Barrier and SCAI’s components.
• Serve as site PSV resource responsible for design and sizing calculations using industry software.

Requirements:

• BS in Chemical Engineering with minimum 3 to 10 years of previous experience in the refining, petrochemical, or chemical process industries preferred
• Minimum 5 years of plant experience in Spheripol polypropylene technology
• Strong technical skills with ability to work collaboratively with other departments. 
• Must demonstrate a working knowledge of all applicable engineering principles and standards and their application.
• A thorough knowledge of operating processes, equipment, and materials, as well as critical analytical skills are needed to effectively evaluate equipment performance and problems.
• Self-starter who works well in cross functional teams. 
• Excellent communication skills and leadership abilities.
• Ability to “get involved & contribute” without being instructed to do so.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without visa sponsorship (U.S. citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident).

Preferred Skills, Education, and Experience:

• 5 yrs previous plant experience in polyolefin manufacturing
• Strong technical background and abilities.
• Knowledge of API codes and OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) individual areas.
• PHA leader certified preferred, LOPA analysis knowledge preferred.
• Knowledge of instrumentation and controls is beneficial, but not crucial.

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