Plant Engineer

NES Fircroft; Illinois; On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Plant Engineer to ensure safe and efficient operations at their chemical production facility. This dynamic role involves overseeing maintenance, optimizing processes, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in mechanical or chemical engineering, with a focus on continuous improvement and technical excellence. Join a forward-thinking company that values innovation and teamwork, where your contributions will drive operational success and enhance production capabilities.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing or plant environment.
• Strong understanding of OSHA PSM and EPA RMP regulations.
• Experience in chemical equipment design and specification.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support to plant operations, ensuring safety and compliance.
• Implement maintenance strategies and manage small capital projects.
• Lead technical improvement initiatives and support compliance programs.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

OSHA Compliance

Lean Six Sigma

Interpersonal Skills

Planning and Organization

SAP

Microsoft Office 365

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering

B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

Aspen Plus

Job description

DESCRIPTION
The Plant Engineer is a key on-site role, responsible for ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient operations of amine-based chemical production units. This role focuses on plant maintenance, asset reliability, technical compliance, and process optimization. The engineer supports predictive and preventive maintenance programs, leads small capital projects, and ensures adherence to environmental, health, and safety regulations, including OSHA PSM and EPA RMP. In addition to overseeing daily engineering support and mechanical integrity, the Plant Engineer drives continuous improvement initiatives and collaborates cross-functionally to maintain high operational standards. Strong technical, planning, and interpersonal skills are essential for success in this role.


RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide day-to-day engineering support to plant operations at the Mapleton site, including troubleshooting and regional support within Care Solutions.
• Ensure safe, compliant, and cost-effective production by maintaining and optimizing automation technology and plant operations.
• Implement and manage maintenance strategies such as predictive and preventive maintenance, mechanical integrity programs, and risk-based maintenance.
• Lead turnaround/shutdown maintenance efforts and manage plant maintenance activities to ensure maximum uptime and asset performance.
• Oversee and support the development, commissioning, and startup of new equipment, including specification and strategic planning.
• Participate in safety and compliance programs, including OSHA PSM and EPA RMP elements (MOC, PHA, PSSR, PSI, etc.).
• Lead or contribute to technical improvement initiatives like OEE enhancement, Bad Actor Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, and Weak Point Analysis.
• Manage and implement small capital projects, including oversight of Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) within the assigned unit.
• Ensure operations comply with permits, legal requirements, and internal technical safety guidelines, supporting continuous technical improvements.
• Track and support key job-related KPIs and actively participate in incident investigations and procedure development.

REQUIREMENTS

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (preferred) or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum of 3 years of engineering experience in a manufacturing or plant environment.
• Strong understanding of OSHA CFR 1910.119 PSM and EPA RMP regulations; compliance experience is a plus.
• Experience in chemical equipment design, sizing, and specification; relief system design is desirable.
• Familiarity with Distributed Control Systems (DCS); experience preferred.
• Continuous Improvement, Lean Six Sigma, or Total Plant/Process Management training is a plus.
• Proficiency in SAP, Microsoft Office 365, and simulation software such as Aspen Plus is advantageous.
• Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, and communication skills; capable of working across operations, maintenance, engineering, quality, and safety teams.
• Strong planning, organizational, and multitasking skills with the ability to prioritize in a dynamic work environment.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with a high degree of initiative.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining andManufacturingsectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.