Operations Engineer

Trillium Renewable Chemicals; Victoria (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary equity

401(k)

Paid time off

Health benefit

Job summary

Trillium Renewable Chemicals in Port Lavaca, Texas, is seeking an Operations Engineer to bridge engineering and plant operations during commissioning and startup of Project Falcon, a first‑of‑its‑kind process. You will be hands‑on, influence safety, reliability, and performance, and collaborate with multi‑disciplinary teams to translate innovative chemistry into scalable industrial operations.

This onsite role requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field and relevant experience;

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field; extensive operations experience may substitute.
• 5 years of experience in chemical manufacturing.
• Hands-on plant operations, troubleshooting, and process improvement.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary technical point of contact for operators during plant operations.
• Provide hands-on technical support during commissioning, startup, and ongoing operations.
• Monitor plant performance and drive improvements in safety, reliability, and process performance.
• Lead and support process and equipment changes with operations and maintenance teams.
• Collaborate with automation, engineering, and chemistry teams to improve performance.
• Develop, refine, and implement operating procedures and best practices.
• Serve as interface between onsite teams and offsite engineers and stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot process and equipment issues and drive timely resolution.
• Promote a strong safety culture and participate in safety reviews.

Skills

Operations

Troubleshooting

Process Improvement

Team Collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

++About Trillium Renewable Chemicals++

Trillium Renewable Chemicals is building a more sustainable future through chemistry. Our patented technology converts renewable feedstocks like glycerol into acrylonitrile, a critical building block for carbon fiber, acrylics, and ABS plastics. We have raised Seed, Series A, and Series B financing rounds and have been featured in Bloomberg, Chemical & Engineering News, won multiple Department of Energy Awards, and were named a C&EN Top 10 Startup and a finalist for the S&P Global Excellence in Chemicals Award. We are now operating a demonstration-scale facility, Project Falcon, located at INEOS Nitriles Green Lake plant in Port Lavaca, Texas.

++Why This Role Matters++

As we progress to commissioning Project Falcon, we are looking for an Operations Engineer to play a critical role bridging engineering and plant operations. This is a hands-on role at the center of commissioning, plant startup, and operations of a first‑of‑a‑kind process. You will directly influence plant performance, reliability, and safety while helping translate innovative chemistry into a scaled industrial process.

++Key Responsibilities++

You will play a key role in day-to-day plant operations with the following responsibilities:

• Act as primary technical point of contact for operators during plant operations
• Provide hands‑on technical support during commissioning, startup, and ongoing operations
• Monitor plant performance and identify, prioritize, and implement improvements to safety, reliability, and process performance
• Lead and support process and equipment changes, working closely with operations and maintenance teams
• Collaborate with automation, engineering, and chemistry teams to improve process performance
• Develop, refine, and implement operating procedures and best practices
• Serve as a key interface between onsite teams (operators, lab) and offsite engineers and stakeholders
• Troubleshoot process and equipment issues and drive timely resolution
• Actively contribute to and promote a strong safety culture, including participation in safety reviews and continuous improvement efforts

++Key Outcomes++

In this role, you will:

• Help successfully commission Project Falcon and achieve stable operations
• Improve plant uptime, reliability, and process performance
• Enable safe, reliable operation of a novel chemical process
• Build systems and practices that support future scale‑up to commercial production

++Basic Qualifications++

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field. Applicants with extensive operations experience, in lieu of an engineering degree, will be considered.
• 5 years of experience in chemical manufacturing
• Practical, hands‑on experience with plant operations, troubleshooting, and process improvement
• Self‑motivated with ability to successfully work independently to accomplish objectives
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills across technical and operations teams

++Location and Travel++

This is an onsite role based in Port Lavaca, Texas. Significant time will be spent in an operating chemical plant environment. Role includes support during startup activities and extended hours as needed

++Compensation & Benefits++

• Competitive salary equity
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Health benefit with company reimbursement for medical expenses and insurance premiums (up to IRS maximum limits)