Manufacturing Specialist

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world-scale integrated manufacturing facilities, we are able to develop new products from our core technologies and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of our customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution with four manufacturing facilities in the United States. The Operations Manufacturing Specialist is responsible for optimization of production and product quality.

The role is the operational expert and provides support to all technical, ESH and maintenance activities to the assigned area.

Coordinate unit operations activities to achieve the unit’s OEE, quality, and maintenance budget targets. Work closely with Turnaround group and Maintenance and Operations personnel to ensure shutdown is executed safely, completely, and within budget.

• Ensure all production activities are conducted in a safe, responsible and environmentally sound manner in compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Comply with federal, state, and local regulations and operating permits.
• Identify and take necessary action to address and communicate all ESSH issues to appropriate parties.
• Comply with all procedures; participate in development and revision of unit procedures.
• Generate, review, implement and close changes via the MOC process.
• Take a leadership role in shutdown activities, including participation in scope and schedule development and reviewing shutdown job plans.
• Develop and maintain production requirements and lockout/blind out lists for maintenance jobs.
• Analyze handheld data for successive exceptions and resolve.
• Communicate production activities with maintenance plans to ensure equipment is available and ready for maintenance when scheduled.
• Coordinate and communicate activities with other units, as necessary.
• Implement assigned action items from J5, ESSH and housekeeping audits, IAT.
• Lead and/or participate in Job Safety Analyses for unusual operations or maintenance activities.
• Lead or participate in audits and inspections.
• Participate in PHAs.
• Lead, participate in and/or review incident investigations; identify and implement corrective actions.
• Provide technical input and support to projects and plant tests.
• Review daily sample analyses and trends in the Daily Unit Morning Meeting and direct process changes accordingly.
• Support training and participate in qualification of Processors and PSM qualification where necessary within unit.
• Develop expert knowledge within area of responsibility of:
  Unit operations Process hazards and safeguards, including all interlock actions, purposes and classifications Equipment Procedures– unit and plant Corporate Guidelines, i.e. HHM Guidelines
• Develop working knowledge of:
  Instrumentation and controls, including Delta V, SIS, Allen Bradley, etc. Engineering Standards Piping specs
• Provide technical resources for off-hours, as needed.
• Provide timely and effective communication, i.e., Night Letter, emails, face-to-face, etc.
• Work effectively with and seek support from plant resources.
• Attend and participate in daily unit MOS and other meetings.
• Support hurricane and emergency preparedness and response per ICP.

Reports to:

Operations Unit Manager Team Members:
Unit Staff

• Three (5) years of Processor and operations experience in a chemical plant
• Alkylation experience

Technical

Skills:

Working experience and knowledge of unit operations. Working knowledge of ESSH guidelines and regulatory/compliance issues.

Working experience with unit control systems Working knowledge of MOC process Past participation in walkthroughs Troubleshooting

Skills:

Good process troubleshooting/problem…