Senior Chemical Process Engineer

Overview

Strem Chemicals, Inc., an Ascensus Specialties LLC company, is seeking a Senior Chemical Process Engineer to join our team in Newburyport, MA. This is a critical, high-impact role designed for a technical leader who can bridge the gap between complex engineering design and hands-on operational excellence. This role will be responsible for leading the manufacturing, research, and development of specialty chemicals—primarily those involving high-pressure autoclave systems—used in life-saving pharmaceuticals and cutting-edge microelectronics.

• Culture of Safety:
  Lead by example by following all site safety procedures and policies, establishing safety as the highest operational priority.
• Integrity of High-Pressure Systems:
  Ensure all autoclave equipment is maintained and in peak safe operating condition prior to any experimentation or production runs.
• Specialized Training:
  Initiate, update, and train staff on high-pressure safety procedures and policies to maintain a secure working environment.
• Compliance Management:
  Maintain precise safety records and manage vendor testing/certification for high-pressure equipment and safety detector systems.
• Standardization:
  Develop and document rigorous Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all autoclave and high-pressure processes.

• Process Control & Programming:
  Utilize PLC (Siemens, Allen Bradley) or DCS software to control and monitor high-pressure equipment. This includes working with vendors to learn, modify, and optimize programming to enhance process efficiency.
• Data-Driven Optimization:
  Collect and analyze run data using logging instruments to troubleshoot the autoclave process.
• Capacity Innovation:
  Conduct reaction studies to identify opportunities for improvement, such as stopping reactions early or recharging and restarting to eliminate "dead time" and increase capacity.
• Equipment Design:
  Collaborate with engineering and construction vendors on capital improvements, facility upgrades, and the installation/commissioning of distillation columns.

• Production Leadership Path:
  Embark on a structured growth path to learn the end-to-end production process, with the ultimate goal of leading the production team within a 24-hour operational environment.
• Manufacturing Oversight:
  Plan, organize, and supervise the manufacture of chemicals in autoclaves and associated equipment. Ensure raw material availability and monitor manufacturing costs to meet customer demand.
• Yield & Quality Improvement:
  Perform R&D on existing and new autoclave products—specifically high-volume electronics product lines (e.g., DCOC) and API pharmaceutical products—to improve yields and reduce production times.
• Resource Management:
  Responsible for the purchase of raw materials, equipment, and spare parts. Prepare and manage the high-pressure equipment budget.
• Chemistry Integration:
  Demonstrate a willingness to learn the specific chemical reactions (temperature and pressure requirements) to better bridge the gap between engineering design and chemical output.
• Other duties as assigned by the Site Director.

• Education: BS in Chemical Engineering (preferred) or BS in Mechanical Engineering. Specialized knowledge:
  If Mechanical, a strong background or coursework in chemistry is required to support autoclave synthesis operations.
• Experience: 5+ years in batch fine chemicals production. Previous experience with pressure vessels or autoclaves is highly preferred.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Hands-on experience with PLC/DCS automated process systems and statistical problem-solving techniques.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to work in a plant environment, including climbing ladders, lifting up to 50 lbs, and wearing a respirator when required.
• Schedule Flexibility: Ability to support a 24-hour operation and adjust hours as necessary to meet the demands of the plant.
• Preferred Qualifications: Autoclave operations and process controls experience with PLC/DCS interfaces and using process data to drive capacity improvements and yield optimization.

Strem, an Ascensus Specialties LLC…