Operations Engineer

OPERATIONS ENGINEER

Role Summary

This position is a member of the plant production leadership team. It ensures good coordination between the production planner and the operations group, works with operators to help execute the production plan, identifies and closes any gaps between the plan and current production, and coaches/mentors operators. The role also represents operations on capital projects, ensuring the operational perspective is included in project plans.

• Work with the production planner to ensure coordination between production needs and current plant capability.
• Assist plant operators in delivering the production plan.
• Diagnose process and equipment issues with operators and coach them on the diagnostic approach.
• Define and implement the production work‑process throughout the plant organization.
• Execute work safely and in an environmentally responsible manner.
• Review production and lost opportunity data with process engineers to develop and implement solutions that improve plant efficiency.
• Measures include lost opportunity, availability, and utilization.
• Utilize root‑cause analysis on critical issues and implement appropriate fixes.
• Collaborate with the maintenance team on maintenance/reliability issues and resolution paths.
• Serve as the operations representative on the project execution team.
• This is a Safety‑Sensitive position. The employee is directly responsible for their own safety or the safety of others, and the role may include tasks that could affect the safety and health of the employee or others.

Required

• Minimum of a BS in Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering.
• At least 3–5 years of industrial experience in a chemical plant or refinery operations.
• Demonstrated field experience in analyzing and determining corrective actions for chemical process and equipment issues, including leadership abilities.
• Some experience in project execution.
• Experience with Chemithon or similar sulfunation and sulfation systems.
• Proven verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working with operators and maintenance technicians.
• Proven team player with good peer and subordinate relationship skills.
• Demonstrated ability in continuous improvement.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve plant issues in both team and individual settings, prioritize multiple concurrent tasks, and balance short‑ and long‑term plant needs.
• Proven hands‑on skills that include measuring and improving process performance and leading, instructing, and training others on those improvements.
• Competency in process design and optimization.
• Must take and pass regular chemical dependency tests due to the safety‑sensitive nature of the job.

Recommended

• Advanced courses in engineering and seminars on diagnosis/troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis.
• Ability to prioritize work based on business contribution.
• Training and experience in project management.
• Experience with Distributive Control Systems (DCS); preferably Delta V and ideally including programming experience.
• Good personal computer skills, preferably experience with MS Office.
• Training in organization and time management.