Chemicals Operations Consultant

USA - EFESO Management Consultants, Inc.; Poland; On-site; PLN 522,000 - 784,000; Full time

Job summary

EFESO Management Consultants, Inc. seeks experienced Production Operations Consultants to deliver deep operational and technical expertise across chemicals clients.

You will drive asset performance, safety, and productivity in batch, continuous, and specialty environments, leveraging best-in-class methods and digital/AI-enabled tools. Responsibilities include SOP improvement, operator standard work, KPI analysis, and cost and reliability improvements.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of experience in chemical manufacturing or production operations.
• Hands-on experience in batch and continuous processes.
• Strong background in process safety, MOC, and PSM.
• Ability to lead site improvements and work with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Document and improve SOPs, operating discipline, and task execution.
• Lead operator standard work and safe startup/shutdown procedures.
• Analyze KPIs and build dashboards for operators and managers.
• Support RCA and debottlenecking to improve throughput and yield.
• Coach and engage client teams and prepare progress reports.

Skills

Production operations

Data analysis

Process optimization

HSE & compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering

Master's degree is a plus

Job description

We are seeking experienced Production Operations Consultants to provide deep operational and technical expertise to clients across the chemicals industry. The role focuses on improving asset performance, operational efficiency, reliability, safety, and overall manufacturing productivity within batch, continuous, and specialty chemical environments. Consultants will assess current operating practices, identify performance gaps, and implement best-in-class solutions, standard work, and digital/AI-enabled tools to drive sustainable improvements in cost, throughput, and asset integrity.

Work Environment & Additional Information

• Type of role: Full Time
• Location: Project location varies by client.
• Travel: Consultant roles will require travel on a weekly basis.
• Work Authorization: Must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.
• Background Checks: Must be able to pass DISA background check for client projects.

Key Responsibilities

Production Process Improvement & Standard Work

• Document and improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), operating discipline, and critical task execution.
• Lead or support development of operator standard work, safe start-up/shutdown procedures, and shift routines.
• Support optimization of process control parameters, alarm management, and centerlining to reduce variability and improve product quality.
• Conduct waste/loss analyses (yield gap, rework, off-spec production, material handling losses) and design improvement actions.

Safety, Process Safety & Risk Reduction

• Observe field operations to verify compliance with safe work practices, LOTO, permit-to-work, and management of change (MOC).
• Support client teams in implementing High Reliability Organization (HRO) and Human & Organizational Performance (HOP) behaviors.
• Participate in or support HAZOP/LOPA reviews, pre-startup safety reviews (PSSR), and routine safety walkdowns.
• Identify operational risks, elevate concerns appropriately, and support corrective action implementation.

Data Analysis, KPIs & Performance Management

• Analyze operating data, historian trends, energy usage, and production KPIs to identify actionable insights.
• Build simple, clear dashboards and daily/weekly performance reports for operators, supervisors, and production managers.
• Quantify the impact of proposed improvements on throughput, yield, energy, maintenance, and labor productivity.
• Support implementation of visual management, SIC boards, and production governance routines.

Cost, Throughput & Reliability Improvement

• Work with client teams to reduce variable and fixed operating costs through improved run‑time, reduced downtime, and optimized labor and contractor usage.
• Support root cause analysis (RCA) for recurring operational issues and bad actors affecting throughput, quality, or reliability.
• Identify opportunities for debottlenecking, minor CapEx improvements, or process adjustments that deliver measurable performance gains.

Client Engagement, Coaching & On-the-Ground Support

• Work directly with supervisors, operators, and engineers to translate recommendations into practical, field-ready actions.
• Support coaching, capability building, and change-management activities to embed new operating practices.
• Prepare client-ready reports, presentations, and daily/weekly progress updates summarizing insights and results.
• Build trusted relationships at the plant level by demonstrating credibility, operational understanding, and a hands‑on approach.

Requirements

Qualifications

Education

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or a closely related field. A master’s degree is a plus.

Experience

• 8–10+ years of experience in chemical manufacturing, with substantial time spent in production operations, technical operations, process engineering, or plant/area supervision roles.
• Hands‑on experience as an Operator, Lead Operator, Panel/Board Operator, Shift Supervisor, or Area/Unit Operations Manager in a batch or continuous chemical plant.
• Strong background in plant operations, including start‑up/shutdown activities, operational troubleshooting, shift routines, and coordination with maintenance and reliability teams.
• Experience supporting or participating in turnarounds, shutdowns, and major maintenance events, including planning, execution, permitting, and safe handover to operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or contribute to operational improvement initiatives—throughput increases, cycle‑time reduction, yield improvement, energy optimization, or operating discipline enhancements.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable performance improvements in safety, reliability, quality, or cost within a chemical manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with PSM requirements, HAZOP/LOPA processes, MOC, safe work practices, and operating envelope discipline in a regulated chemicals setting.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of chemical plant operations practices: operator rounds, shift handover, control room/board operations, alarm management, safe operating limits, and daily/weekly performance cadence.
• Working knowledge of core chemical processes (e.g., reaction, distillation, crystallization, polymerization, separation, drying, blending) and their key operational and economic drivers.
• Familiarity with PSM elements such as PHA/HAZOP, MOC, PSSR, operator training, and safe work practices.
• Experience with operations-focused digital tools: mobile operator rounds, digital logs, electronic SOPs, and visual management systems.

Soft Skills

• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a global, multi-disciplinary team.
• Willingness to travel extensively to client sites.