Senior Advanced Process Control; APC Innovation Engineer

Position Title: Senior Advanced Process Control (APC) Innovation Engineer

Department: Digital Smart Factory

Reports To: Louis Stocco

Exempt (Y/N): Yes

POSITION SUMMARY

Innovate and design advanced process control (APC) solutions to automate operator decisioning. This role is responsible for developing "first-of-kind" model-based and model predictive control (MPC) strategies that utilize existing data streams to eliminate manual intervention. Following successful pilot innovation, this position collaborates with Technical Services, Plant and Corporate Engineering to validate performance and create the deployment frameworks necessary to hand off the replication of these solutions across the enterprise manufacturing network.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Solution Innovation: Researches and designs novel APC and MPC architectures that leverage existing sensor arrays to solve complex process variability without adding hardware costs.

• Proof of Concept (PoC) Development: Leads the initial implementation of advanced automation at pilot sites, transforming manual "operator decisioning" into autonomous, model-based logic.

• Validation & Testing: Partners with Technical Services to rigorously validate the stability, safety, and economic impact of new control strategies against established KPIs.

• Network Scalability: Develops standardized "blueprints," control libraries, and best practices to ensure solutions can be seamlessly replicated by other engineering teams across multiple facilities.

• Technical Consultation: Serves as the global subject matter expert for model-based control, providing high-level troubleshooting and guidance to plant and corporate based process controls during the replication phase.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Bridges the gap between Knauf, Technical Services, Corporate Engineering, and Plant Operations to ensure innovative solutions align with digital smart manufacturing transformational vision.

• Performance Auditing: Establishes long-term monitoring protocols to ensure replicated solutions maintain their "gold standard" performance across the network.

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

INNOVATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

· Identifies unique ways to apply existing technology to new problems.

· Effectively manages the transition from "idea" to "validated solution."

· Stays current on emerging MPC and AI/ML trends in the process industries.

· Finds creative ways to use "small data" to create high-value virtual sensors.

STRATEGIC VALIDATION AND ANALYTICAL THINKING:

· Demonstrates a disciplined approach to testing and performance verification.

· Uses data to prove the ROI of advanced automation to stakeholders.

· Ensures solutions are robust enough for 24/7 continuous operation.

· Synthesizes complex process data into actionable control models.

NETWORK LEADERSHIP AND REPLICATION:

· Possesses the interpersonal skills to gain "buy-in" from site leadership for new technology.

· Simplifies complex technical concepts into repeatable processes for others to follow.

· Effectively coaches plant controls through the adoption of new control philosophies.

· Focuses on solutions that improve the entire network, not just a single plant.

EXECUTION AND ADAPTABILITY:

· Prioritizes efficiency, focusing on highest value time to solution.

· Manages multiple projects in a high-pressure, continuous manufacturing environment.

· Adjusts strategies based on shifting manufacturing prioritized demands.

· Asks "why" to uncover hidden operator logic and tribal knowledge.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or Process Control/Automation

Years of Experience

• A minimum of 7 years in process automation, with specific experience in developing and scaling Model Predictive Control (MPC) applications.

Required Skills

• Proven track record of innovating model-based control solutions in a continuous manufacturing environment.

• Expertise in MPC and Allen Bradley PLC integration.

• Experience in solution validation and creating technical documentation for mass replication.

Preferred Skills

• Master’s degree or PhD in Control Theory or Advanced Process Control.

• Experience in "Soft Sensor" development and inferential modeling.

• Project…