People-Capital

Title:    Process Engineer

Location:  [Chicago, IL – North suburbs]

Reports to:  [Engineering Manager – Industrial Chemicals Division]      

Scope and Effect (Summary):

Maintain the Distributive Control System, design plant equipment, and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products at the facility, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, computer science and engineering.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Maintain the Distributive Control System for the facility.
2. Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings by reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
3. Develop processes to manufacture products using controlled chemical processes.
4. Conduct research to develop new and improved chemical manufacturing processes as well as design and plan layout of equipment.
5. Design measurement and control systems for chemical plants based on data collected in laboratory experiments and in pilot plant operations.
6. Determine most effective arrangement of operations, such as mixing, crushing, heat transfer, distillation, and drying.
7. Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
8. Direct activities of workers who operate or who are engaged in constructing and improving process equipment.
9. Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
10. Provide information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
11. Provide guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
12. Use relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
13. Translate or explain what information means and how it can be used.
14. Support upgrades to the DCS / PLC systems by making simple modification and coordinating larger more complex changes with outside resources.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  [None]

Qualifications/Competencies:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or talents required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering required.

1. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for this position. A minimum of five years of experience in a manufacturing environment required.

1. Two years experience in computer programming with process control systems preferred.

Licensing or Certification Requirements:  none

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
2. Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
3. Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
4. Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
5. Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
6. Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
7. Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
8. Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
9. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
10. Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
11. Understanding of how the DCS system code / Fox Batch recipe are utilized to manufacture a product to the correct specifications though controlled processes.
12. Ability to make small changes in code to optimize production while utilizing the PSM MOC process to ensure adequate safety review of all changes prior to implementation.
13. Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
14. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
15. Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
16. The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, incumbent is occasionally required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear; constantly required to stand and walk; must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Occasional communication by telephone so must be able to speak clearly and hear well. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color discrimination, good hand-eye coordination, and ability to adjust focus and to work frequently on a computer.

Work Environment: The work environment is largely indoors in a climate controlled area with occasional times spent out in the plant and outdoors.  Interaction with operations employees is critical and frequent, while interaction with external parties occurs less frequently.  Job duties are generally well defined with occasional varying assignments.  Work pace is fast with an appreciable amount of stress for time and accuracy.