Principal Process Engineer - Thermal

Thalia Waste Management; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading waste management company is seeking a specialist to provide expertise in thermal treatment technologies. This role includes supporting operations and optimising processes at various sites, ensuring efficiency and safety. Ideal candidates will possess significant experience in combustion processes and have a relevant engineering degree. Flexible working options are available.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer status preferred (e.g., IChemE, IMechE or Energy Institute).
• Significant experience with combustion or energy-from-waste processes.
• Strong process safety knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Act as the specialist on combustion and thermal treatment technologies.
• Lead investigations into thermal incidents.
• Define and maintain technical standards and KPIs.

Skills

Technical leadership

Data analysis

Risk management

Process optimisation

Communication

Education

Degree in Chemical Engineering or Energy Engineering

Job description

The Role

This is a specialist role providing Thalia wide expertise in thermal treatment technologies, while also delivering hands-on engineering support within Thalia's operating sites. As the business's subject matter expert in combustion and thermal processes (including EfW, pyrolysis, and gasification), you will drive the safe, compliant and efficient operation of thermal assets and support site-based process optimisation. You will be a critical link between strategic innovation and operational delivery, contributing to process design, troubleshooting, and technical governance. This role combines system-level thinking with detailed technical problem-solving, requiring both site presence and centre-led influence.

Travel between Thalia Energy from Waste Facilities in North Yorkshire, Milton Keynes and the Isle of Wight is required.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Thalia's specialist on combustion and other thermal treatment technologies.
• Define and maintain technical standards and KPIs for thermal plant performance (e.g. efficiency, throughput, emissions).
• Lead or contribute to root cause analyses and implement corrective actions for thermal process deviations.
• Contribute to business cases and procurement specifications for new thermal infrastructure.
• Provide expert technical support to operational teams across Thalia's thermal estate.
• Develop and implement plant-level process reporting and analysis tools.
• Optimise process performance, reducing energy, maintenance, and operational costs.
• Lead investigations into thermal incidents and performance issues, promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
• Mentor process and site engineers in thermal performance and technical standards.
• Promote consistent application of process safety, SOPs, and change control across all thermal operations.
• Contribute to succession planning and staff development initiatives in process engineering.
• Ensure all thermal processes operate within permit conditions and health & safety regulations.
• Own or contribute to the Process Safety Management System and Management of Change processes.
• Support the development of risk assessments and operational procedures.

The Person

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer status preferred (e.g., IChemE, IMechE or Energy Institute)
• Degree in Chemical Engineering, Energy Engineering or similar

Skills & Experience

• Significant experience with combustion or energy-from-waste processes
• Proven track record of technical leadership and troubleshooting in thermal plant operations
• Strong process safety knowledge and experience with operational risk management
• Able to translate complex technical concepts into operational action
• Experienced in data analysis, diagnostics, and performance reporting
• Confident working across different functions and engaging senior stakeholders

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Our Business

At Thalia Waste Management, we are creating a future to be proud of. We think differently, questioning everything, enabling us to develop progressive waste into energy solutions and services. Being motivated, tackling problems together, inspiring others to take responsibility, making a difference, being ambitious and contributing value.

We operate the best technology available across our four strategic sites in North Yorkshire, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Wight. Our technology includes everything from mechanical and biological treatment, traditional mass-burn energy from waste and material recycling technologies to in-vessel composting, advanced thermal treatment, innovative small-scale energy from waste and anaerobic digestion. In a single year we process 300,000 tonnes of waste that is turned into energy. This generates the same amount of energy as approximately 600 million solar panels. Similarly we recycle circa 95,000 tonnes of waste.

Inclusion

At Thalia Waste Management, we work hard to make sure we are an inclusive and diverse place to work. This means we don't just look at your CV, we're focused on who you are, your skills and passion that can be brought to Thalia Waste Management. We know and understand everyone is different and has a life outside work, so we're happy to discuss flexible working and any adjustments that could be needed! We'll do all that we can to support everyone from their first contact with us. For any support or adjustments needed through our recruitment process, please speak to our recruitment team who will be happy to support. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. As a Disability Confident Employer, we will make sure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.