Senior Process Engineer

Oil Re-Refinery

Indianapolis IN

Purpose:

The primary responsibility of this role is to provide process engineering support for all site operations. This involves collaborating with department management and site personnel to evaluate and optimize process conditions, offer technical expertise for projects, maintenance, inspections, and turnarounds. The position requires proactive interaction with other disciplines, teams, and contractors to resolve issues systematically. Sound engineering judgment will be applied to implement effective, risk-focused solutions aimed at improving operating efficiency and eliminating defects. Key activities include reviewing fouling factors, conducting pressure surveys, performing heat transfer calculations, and supporting process operations. The role will also oversee catalyst life monitoring, supervise emission calculations for air permits, and collaborate with on-site operating staff and corporate engineering/operations to implement debottlenecking strategies. The position plays a vital role in the management of the facility’s Process Safety Management (PSM) Program (under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119) and is responsible for Process Safety Reviews (PSSRs), Management of Change (MOCs), and Hazard and Operability (HazOps) studies.

Essential Duties:

• Safety: Maintain a strong commitment to working safely in all aspects of the job.
• Process Support: Provide localized process engineering support for vacuum distillation and hydrotreating operations, including troubleshooting, recommendations, and the development of process procedures.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Design monitoring activities to assess equipment and process performance (e.g., heaters, exchangers, pumps, reactors, scrubbers).
• Data Review: Analyze daily trends, operating data, and shift logs, identifying patterns and correlations related to production rates, operating efficiencies (pressures, flows, temperatures), and process performance.
• Collaboration: Work closely with operating staff to evaluate current operating conditions, identify performance issues, and collaborate on debottlenecking initiatives. Facilitate agreement on operating philosophies and control strategies for plant units.
• Catalyst Life Management: Assess catalyst life based on factors like metal loading, pressure drop, product quality, and throughput.
• Pressure Drop Analysis: Evaluate pressure drops across process units to predict potential production impacts and recommend cleaning schedules.
• Operational Envelope & Alarm Management: Maintain operating envelopes and ensure effective alarm management.
• Troubleshooting: Provide critical support for equipment troubleshooting, particularly in maintaining equipment reliability during unit shutdowns and startups.
• Process Optimization: Identify and implement process optimization opportunities, focusing on safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Communicate technical findings to management.
• Health Monitoring: Develop and publish regular reports on unit health and performance.
• Flexibility: Adapt to changing plant and project priorities, providing support as needed.
• Emission Calculations: Assist with emission calculations to support the facility’s air permit requirements.
• PSM Support: Contribute to the facility's Process Safety Management Program, including MOCs, PSSRs, and HazOps.
• Compliance: Ensure adherence to all corporate policies, including environmental, regulatory, human resources, and operational standards.
• Safety Meetings: Participate in safety-related and other operational meetings as required.

Other Duties:

• Provide support for other operational functions as directed by the Operations Manager.
• Assist with environmental functions as directed by the HSSE Manager.

Position Qualification Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to effectively carry out each essential duty. Reasonable accommodations will be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Core Competencies:

• Strong commitment to safety excellence in operational facilities.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse teams and individuals.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

Work Experience:

Ideal candidates should have prior experience in the petrochemical industry, including relevant roles, internships, or co-op assignments.

Education, Certificates, Licenses, or Designations:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Chemical Engineering preferred).

Specific Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and Outlook.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong communication skills and technical expertise.