Sr Staff Process Engineer

Who You Are

As a Senior Staff Process Engineer within the Operations Organization, your expertise and technical leadership will be critical to the success of our production line in Moses Lake, WA and future factories. Using a combination of chemical engineering, process safety, and operations knowledge you will efficiently solve production issues at their core, as well as suggest and implement improvements to the equipment design.

You will play a significant role in our long-term success by leading throughput, reliability, quality, and safety improvements; ensuring that the manufacturing team can consistently deliver more of our product to a growing list of customers. As we grow and scale our operations, you will have an opportunity to support the design of equipment, systems, and work processes needed to run our next generation battery technology factories. You will become an integral part of the manufacturing organization so that together we can make materials to power our future. 

Responsibilities and Duties  

• Use data to drive decisions. Assist plant operators with safe and efficient plant operation.
• Supervise and train operators.
• Utilize data to troubleshoot issues, recommend and implement solutions.
• Willingness and ability to work evenings, night-shift, and weekends if necessary to support plant operations.
• Assume responsibility for process tools for commissioning, start-up, and process stabilization until the unit is lined out and manufacturing products efficiently and safely.
• Participate in maintenance planning.
• Participate in capital project execution.
• Manage process studies to comprehend and optimize how equipment variables impact product characteristics
• Manage safety meetings on a case-by-case basis.
• Troubleshoot equipment issues.
• Become a subject matter expert for improvements, capital projects, and HAZOPs.
• Manage MOC activities for assigned units.
• Collaborate with Applied R&D and Material Development Teams in Alameda, CA to optimize manufacturing in Moses Lake. Spearhead these activities from the plant side.
• Contribute to creating a positive, productive, and safe work environment.
• Function as a leader in the operations organization at Moses Lake.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering preferred. B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
• 10+ years of experience as a process engineer at an oil refinery, pulp mill, chemical plant, or another similar operating asset preferred. OR 10+ years of experience as a project engineer, project manager, or operations manager would also be considered.
• Combined experience in a process engineering role and project engineering role
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• Ability to train and lead operators.
• Ability to mentor and lead junior and mid-level process engineers.
• Ability to participate in maintenance prioritization and maintenance planning.
• Ability to identify problems, recommend improvements, and usher the improvement to reality.
• Ability to support capital project concepts and work with the capital project team to ensure that the operations team gets what is needed from the project.
• Must be a champion for safety.
• Must have the ability to juggle multiple tasks and drive tasks to completion in alignment with the operating unit business goals.
• Solid working knowledge of engineering standards.
• Working knowledge and experience with OHSA PSM, MOC, HAZOP, IPL, SIL, etc.
• Bonus - skills and experience in process modeling, 3D AutoCAD, creating and maintaining schedules, designing, operating, and maintaining equipment

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Pass a respirator fit test and be able to wear respiratory protection on a daily basis
• Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes
• Move items up to 50 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts
• Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time
• Reach low shelves or items on the floor
• Enter spaces narrower than 3 feet
• Climb stairs or over containment walls
• Precise and repetitive handling of a range of material quantities
• Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location

The starting base pay for this role is between $163,000 and $206,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
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