Plant Project Engineer

LANXESS Deutschland GmbH; Charleston, Northern (SC, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Compensation

Comprehensive Benefits

Work-Life & Flexibility

Training & Development

Diversity

Job summary

LANXESS Deutschland GmbH is seeking a Project Engineer to provide process design expertise, manage capital projects, and lead interdisciplinary teams at the Charleston Plant. You will oversee early scope studies through startup, ensuring safety, cost control, and timely delivery.

Responsibilities include detailed process support, safety analyses, and coordinating engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and turnover.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in mechanical or chemical engineering or equivalent.
• 5–10 years in manufacturing, chemical, or process industries.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across the organization.
• Strong leadership to manage contract personnel and mechanics.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills to complete complex assignments on budget and schedule.
• Solid project management experience with prioritizing, scheduling, and directing resources.
• Chemical plant process design expertise: equipment sizing and layouts.
• Ability to research and specify equipment.
• Ability to participate in and lead a design team.
• Ability to manage schedules, costs, contracts, and contractors.
• Proficient with spreadsheets, cost programs, and scheduling programs.
• Knowledge of SAP S4 and SAP project suites.

Responsibilities

• Perform preliminary studies including scope, estimates, and life cycle cost analysis.
• Support detailed process and project design, including safety studies (e.g., HAZOP).
• Manage project scope, schedule, cost, quality, and documentation.
• Oversee project implementation: engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, turnover.
• Lead multi-discipline project teams and contractors.
• Provide technical support for mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and reliability issues.
• Develop and implement project systems and equipment standards.
• Set and pursue personal development goals.

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Documentation

Project management

Research equipment

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering or equivalent technical degree

Tools

SAP S4

Job description

About This Role

This position provides process design expertise, project management support, and complete project implementation on small to medium size capital projects ($10K-$500K budget) for the Charleston Plant. This position is responsible for all aspects of project management from conceptual scope development, detailed design, management of the design team, construction supervision, and leading the start-up, commissioning, and training activities. The project engineer effectively communicates across the organization, both up and down the line as well as with peers. The project engineer is responsible for executing capital projects safely, timely, and cost effectively using good engineering, design, and installation practices to ensure reliable and robust equipment systems. This position also assists in the mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and infrastructure reliability efforts of the plant by providing design input to reliability and maintenance projects as well as providing support to root cause failure analysis teams.

Job Highlights

• Preliminary project studies (scope development) including estimates, life cycle cost analysis, and project / process design packages including generating alternatives to develop and submit capital authorization requests
• Detailed process / project support including project safety studies (e.g.HAZOP analysis)
• Project management (HSE issues, schedule and cost compliance, quality, training, documentation, etc.)
• Project implementation management including engineering and procurement, construction oversight, commissioning, startup, and turnover with required supporting documentation
• Lead project teams composed of multiple engineering disciplines, operators, mechanics, supervisors and contractors
• Provide technical support for mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and reliability issues
• Develop and implement project systems and plant equipment standards
• Define and advance personal development goals

Experience / Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering or equivalent technical degree
• 5-10 years of experience in a manufacturing, chemical, or process-based industrial environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact with individuals across the organization
• Good leadership skills to manage and motivate contract personnel and mechanics as well as develop personnel within the department
• Strong organizational and documentation skills and the ability to complete multiple complex assignments on budget and on schedule with minimal supervision
• Must be organized, systematic, independent and self motivated with a strong internal drive to reach goals and produce results
  • Must have a solid history of project management experience and be familiar with project management techniques including; prioritizing, scheduling, inspection work and (re)directing resources as necessary.
  • Chemical plant process design expertise (equipment sizing and selection, efficient layouts, engineering calculations, heat loads, ergonomic considerations, etc.)
  • Must be able to research and specify equipment.
  • Must be able to participate in, and lead a (design) team.
  • Must be able to manage 1) project schedules 2) project costs 3) contracts and 4) contractors.
  • Proficient use of spreadsheets, cost programs, and scheduling programs.
  • Knowledge of SAP S4 and SAP project suites of advantage

Location Charleston
Employee Type Regular

Who we are

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with about 12,000 employees in 32 countries. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives and consumer protection products. LANXESS has achieved leading positions in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Index and the MSCI ESG and ISS ESG ratings, among others, for its commitment to sustainability.

Be part of it!

What we offer

• Compensation We offer competitive compensation packages, inclusive of a global bonus program. Please note, the actual compensation may vary based on geographic location, work experience, education, and skill level.
• Comprehensive Benefits We provide a variety of benefits to support your financial security, health programs, life insurance and medical care.
• Work-Life & Flexibility We support you in maintaining a balance between working hours and personal life. With our global “Xwork” program, we offer flexible working arrangements in all countries in which we operate.
• Training & Development We are committed to your professional and personal development and encourage you in the ongoing pursuit of education, training and knowledge through both formal and informal learning.
• DiversityLANXESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religion, national origin, veteran status and political beliefs.

LANXESS has a value-based performance culture. We are seeking a range of human interests, backgrounds, and experiences that can be engaged to achieve respect, ownership, trust, professionalism, integrity and healing across all sectors.

We are looking to find diverse and talented people to join our team. Studies have shown that some individuals are less likely to apply if they do not meet 100% of the criteria. We are looking to equalize the gap! If you are excited about this role but your past experiences do not align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We will look to assess your talent against our competencies, values and requirements to get the best organizational fit. You might be the right candidate for this or other roles we have available!

Join the LANXESS team!