Pilot Plant Engineer

Primient; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 82,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Healthcare plan

Dental and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Short- and long-term disability

Life, AD&D, and voluntary insurance

Paid holidays & vacation

Floating days off

Parental leave

Employee resource groups

Learning & development programs

Fun culture

Job summary

Primient is seeking a Pilot Plant Chemical Engineer to provide process engineering support across manufacturing operations, leading process improvement projects and supporting CI initiatives. The role emphasizes cost reduction and operational excellence, with responsibilities spanning bench and pilot scale experiments and effective technical transfer.

You will collaborate with technicians, plant managers, and project partners in a fast-paced environment, progressing through the Engineering

Qualifications

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• Strong technical background and willingness to learn.
• 0-5 years of industrial experience, preferably in food/GMP.
• Curiosity about how things work and how to improve them.
• Interact well with all roles.

Responsibilities

• Provide process engineering support for manufacturing operations.
• Lead process improvements projects: bench and pilot scale experiments.
• Evaluate and interpret experimental results.
• Provide economic analysis of current and future process concepts.
• Communicate with stakeholders to meet project goals and deadlines.
• Train technicians on equipment use, data collection, and analysis.
• Collaborate to ensure effective technical transfer from pilot to production with KPI documentation.
• Analyze opportunities and plan actions around process improvement ideas.
• Foster collaborative organizational learning.
• Monthly project reviews and growth of the project pipeline; move projects to completion.
• Travel as required (<20%), primarily for North America operations.

Skills

Curiosity

Interpersonal skills

Willingness to learn

Strong technical background

Education

B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Job description

About Primient

Primient is a century old company with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources. We deliver value through deep technical, commercial, and operational excellence that is backed by our long-standing corn wet milling heritage. Wherever we are in the process, from field to customer, our priorities are focused on ensuring we produce the safest, highest quality products through practices that uphold both our responsibility and commitments to the challenge and drive for excellence, our people and our planet. We are a privately held company with locations across the US, Mexico, Poland, and Brazil. We’re investing in our plants and people to unlock our potential in the industrial and food sectors. Guided by our values of Safety, Excellence, Integrity, and Growth, we’re focused on growing our business, our reputation, and the career of every teammate.

As a member of the Global Operation Support Team, the Pilot PlantChemical Engineer will be responsible for providing technical support across the Global Operations division and leading a portfolio of projects to support the Company and Department goals, focusing on cost reduction and operational improvement. The position will act as a change agent for process improvement implementations and improvement of capabilities of people and systems. This position will act as an extension of Primient’ s continuous improvement (CI) program and will foster a culture of continuous improvement and sustainment while facilitating projects across the organization.

The candidate will be a self-starter, a team player, and capable of productively interacting with a diverse group, ranging from technicians to plant managers to project partners. The candidate must have strong communication and interpersonal skills and be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with many processes. The candidate will lead projects and provide expertise to support and develop high-quality, cost-effective solutions.

You’ll also join our structured development program: the Engineering Ladder. As your skills grow; you will progress into more responsible, impactful roles.

Engineer 1 > Engineer 2 > Engineer 3 > Sr. Engineer > Principal Engineer > Engineer Fellow

Key responsibilities: Pilot PlantChemical Engineer

• Provide process engineering support for manufacturing operations


• Lead process improvements projects, including:
  
  
  • Setup, design, and execution of experiments at bench and pilot scale
  
  
  • Evaluation and interpretation of experimental results
  
  
  • Provide economic analysis/assessment of current and future process concepts and technologies
    
    
    • Communicate frequently with key stakeholders to meet project goals and deadlines
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Train technicians and other members of project teams on equipment use, data collection, and data analysis


• Collaborate with internal partners to ensure effective technical transfer from the pilot plant to production environments, including documentation of new/updated key process indicators (KPIs)


• Analyze opportunities as well as guide and plan actions around process improvement ideas


• Foster collaborative and organizational learning


• Monthly project reviews, management and growth of project pipeline, including the ability to move projects through the development stages and ultimately to completion.


• Willingness to travel as required (generally <20%), primarily supporting our North America based operations

About You

We’re looking for engineers who are keen to learn fast in an environment of excellence.

• Required –
  
  
  • B.S. in Chemical Engineering or related engineering field.
  
  
  • Strong technical background and a willingness to learn.
  
  
  • 0-5 years of industrial experience, preferably within the food or other GMP environment. New Graduates accepted
  
  
  • Curiosity in how things work and what is needed to improve them.
  
  
  • Interact well with all roles.
  
  
  
  


• Beneficial –
  
  
  • Practical hands‑on expertise with equipment
  
  
  • Experience in process development, experimental design, statistical analysis, process optimization, and scale‑up
  
  
  • Stem‑to‑stern project experience (i.e., process development, process scale‑up, P&ID development, punch lists, commissioning, start‑up, operations, etc.)
  
  
  • Working knowledge of various manufacturing processes and unit operations including centrifugation, evaporation, filtration, ion exchange, chromatography/SSMB and enzyme reactors
  
  
  
  

Total Rewards

The annual pay range estimated for this position is $82,053.60 - $102,567.00 and is bonus eligible.

• Competitive Pay


• Multiple Healthcare plan choices


• Dental and vision insurance


• A 401(k) plan with company and matching contributions


• Short- and Long-Term Disability


• Life, AD&D, and Voluntary Insurance plans


• Paid holidays & vacation


• Floating days off


• Parental leave for new parents


• Employee resource groups


• Learning & development programs


• Fun culture where you have an opportunity in shaping our future

Career Path & Culture

Primient is committed to a workplace that is all in – ensuring everyone has the opportunity to develop and shape a career that matters in an open culture which embraces equity, diversity and belonging. We challenge old ways of thinking; and encourage employee voices to be a guiding force for ongoing learning.

Primient supports a culture of inclusion that respects individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe our differences make better decisions, drive excellence, and deliver better business results. Primient employees experience autonomy and accountability in their role. Here, employees control their destiny as there is opportunity for career growth and pathways outside the norm.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

We are believers in the power of difference. We strive to represent the communities in which we operate and to provide an inclusive, welcoming environment for all. We want Primient to be a place where every employee feels they belong and knows they are seen, heard, valued and safe to speak up. Our aspiration is to unlock the full potential in diverse perspectives, while offering everyone an equal chance to grow,

Primient is an equal opportunity employer, committed to the strength of an inclusive workforce.

California Consumer Privacy Act ('CCPA')

The Company is committed to complying with the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) and all data privacy and laws in the jurisdictions in which it recruits and hires employees. We collect the following categories of personal information for the purpose of hiring the best qualified applicants and to comply with applicable employment laws: Name and contact information; Job preference and work availability; Social Security Number and/or other identification information; Education and qualifications; Employment history and experience; Military service; Reference and background check information, including relevant criminal history and credit history; Social media information; Pre-employment test results; Post-offer medical examination information and results, including drug test results; Voluntary self-disclosure information regarding minority, veteran, and disability status; and Information provided by you during the hiring process.