Principal Chemical Engineer- Fired Heater Specialist

Kornferry Honeywell; Melrose Park (IL); Hybrid; USD 162,000 - 203,000; Full time

Job summary

Honeywell UOP seeks a Principal Chemical Engineer specializing in fired heaters to lead the full lifecycle design, implementation, and optimization of fired heater systems across its process technology portfolio. You will integrate thermal, process, and mechanical considerations while guiding cross-functional teams and mentoring engineers.

You will drive innovation, tackle complex problems, and advance industry standards, collaborating with R&D, project execution, and global engineering groups.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, or related discipline).
• 15+ years’ experience in fired heater design, engineering and/or operation in the process industries.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for fired heater systems across UOP’s portfolio.
• Lead thermal design and performance evaluation of fired heaters using FRNC and modeling platforms.
• Drive equipment specification, design reviews, and optimization for new units, revamps, and debottlenecking projects.
• Troubleshoot complex operational and design issues, providing solutions to internal teams and customers.
• Lead innovation and development efforts to improve fired heater performance, reliability, emissions, and efficiency.
• Develop and enhance engineering standards, tools, and best practices for fired heater design and application.
• Interface with customers, vendors, and global engineering teams to ensure successful project delivery.
• Provide technical mentoring, coaching, and training to develop organizational expertise.
• Support new technology commercialization and strategic initiatives related to fired heater systems.

Skills

Thermal design

Process engineering

Technical leadership

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

FRNC

Job description

Principal Chemical Engineer- Fired Heater Specialist

Rosemont, IL, United States and 1 more (Hybrid)

Job Description

Be part of a team that applies its expertise and knowledge across Honeywell UOP's broad portfolio of process technologies in refining, petrochemicals, gas, and renewables areas.

This role will provide technical leadership across the full lifecycle of fired heater systems supporting UOP’s process technology portfolio. This role combines deep thermal and process expertise with mechanical integration awareness to drive innovation, resolve complex problems and enable successful project execution.

You will serve as a recognized subject matter expert in fired heater design, operation, and troubleshooting, working across R&D, project execution, and field support. You will also play a key leadership role in advancing UOP’s fired heater capabilities, standards, and technology differentiation.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for fired heater systems across UOP’s portfolio
• Lead thermal design and performance evaluation of fired heaters, including use of tools such as FRNC and other modeling platforms.
• Drive equipment specification, design reviews, and optimization for new units, revamps, and debottlenecking projects.
• Troubleshoot complex operational and design issues, providing solutions to internal teams and customers.
• Lead innovation and development efforts to improve fired heater performance, reliability, emissions, and efficiency.
• Develop and enhance engineering standards, tools, and best practices for fired heater design and application.
• Interface with customers, vendors, and global engineering teams to ensure successful project delivery.
• Provide technical mentoring, coaching, and training to develop organizational expertise.
• Support new technology commercialization and strategic initiatives related to fired heater systems.
• Ability to travel up to 10% world-wide, typically of short duration (generally between a few days and two weeks).

“The annual base salary range for this position is <$162,000- $203,000)>. Please note that this salary information serves as a general guideline. Honeywell considers various factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education and training, key skills, as well as market and business considerations.”

Qualifications

You Must Have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, or related discipline)
• 15+ years’ experience in fired heater design, engineering and/or operation in the process industries.

We Value:

• Deep expertise in fired heater design methodologies, including thermal, fluid flow, and heat transfer analysis
• Expert knowledge of industry codes and standards such as API 560, API 530, API 535, and related practices
• Active API Code Committee participation or leadership
• Experience integrating process, thermal, and mechanical design considerations for complex equipment systems
• Expertise in troubleshooting and performance optimization of operating units
• Experience working on global, cross-functional teams and managing multiple priorities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a track record of innovative solutions
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and mentor others

Honeywell UOP is a leading technology and manufacturing company serving the oil and gas industry. UOP provides innovative process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production, and major manufacturing industries worldwide. The business unit is committed to delivering sustainable and efficient solutions that help customers improve their operations and meet evolving energy demands.

BENEFITS

In addition to a competitive salary, leading-edge work, and developing solutions side-by-side with dedicated experts in their fields, Honeywell employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package. This package includes employer subsidized Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance; Short-Term and Long-Term Disability; 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, EAP, and Educational Assistance; Parental Leave, Paid Time Off (for vacation, personal business, sick time, and parental leave), and 12 Paid Holidays. For more information visit: Benefits at Honeywell

The application period for the job is estimated to be 40 days from the job posting date; however, this may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Job Posting Date: June 23, 2026.

About Us

Honeywell Technologies is a global, pure-play automation company with a legacy of innovating to help solve the world’s most mission-critical challenges, enhancing the quality of life for people and communities around the world. We serve the building, industrial and process sectors with a broad portfolio of services, solutions and products, underpinned by our Honeywell Technologies Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Technologies Forge intelligence layer. By combining the deep domain expertise of our more than 50,000 employees with decades of data from our global installed base, we are uniquely positioned to lead the industrial sector’s transition from automation to autonomy.

Job Info

• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 6111 North River Rd, Rosemont, IL, 60018, US (Hybrid)
• Hire Eligibility Internal and External
• Relocation Package US & CAN Domestic Tier 1