Principal Combustion Engineer

Reworld Projects, LLC; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Parental leave

Paid time off

Life insurance

Dental & Vision

Job summary

Reworld is seeking a Principal Combustion Engineer to lead combustion performance across Waste‑to‑Energy facilities. You will evaluate furnace operation, analyze data, and guide control strategies to improve stability and throughput while supporting environmental investigations.

The role requires 8–10 years in combustion/thermal domains, a 4‑year engineering degree, and travel up to 20%. Based in the USA, you will influence operations and corporate engineering with credibility and technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• 8–10 years of combustion/boiler/thermal experience.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% to support facilities and investigations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the subject‑matter expert for combustion and boiler performance across Reworld facilities.
• Analyze operating data, trends, and events to identify root causes and improve reliability.
• Advise on control strategies, operating targets, and system interactions for stability and throughput.
• Collaborate with Environmental, Operations, and Maintenance teams to define effective corrective actions.

Skills

Combustion systems

Boiler performance

Thermal processes

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/Mechanical Eng

Tools

DCS familiarity

Job description

Who we are

For more than 40 years, Reworld has been a leader in sustainable waste solutions, providing our customers with innovative solutions that help them achieve carbon-negative outcomes.

Our Vision

Reworld is leading the charge to a carbon-negative future through revolutionary sustainable materials management solutions that reduce, reuse, recycle and reimagine waste for the benefit of society and the environment.

Our Business

Reworld partners with businesses by offering cutting‑edge engineering and innovative solutions, to help customers reduce, reuse, recycle and recover value from waste streams and meet or exceed their sustainability goals.

Our Values

Reworld's differentiator comes from our ecosystem of technology, facilities and partnerships, trusted by the world’s largest organizations to reimagine waste management for a smarter, more sustainable world.

About the role

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President, Plant Support, the Principal Combustion Engineer serves as the company’s senior technical authority on Waste-to‑Energy combustion performance, furnace operation, and boiler thermal behavior. This role provides expert‑level technical support to operating facilities, with a focus on identifying true performance drivers, stabilizing combustion, improving throughput and availability, and supporting investigations related to environmental exceedances. The position requires strong technical judgment, systems‑level thinking, and the ability to distinguish signal from noise. Success in this role depends as much on credibility, discretion, and influence as it does on combustion expertise. The Principal Combustion Engineer acts as a trusted conduit between plant operations, plant leadership, and corporate engineering.

Key Responsibilities

Senior Technical Leadership – Combustion & Boiler Performance

Serve as the subject‑matter expert for combustion systems, furnace operation, and boiler performance across all Reworld Waste‑to‑Energy facilities.

Evaluate operating data, trends, and transient events to identify underlying cause‑and‑effect relationships impacting performance, reliability, and emissions.

Apply fundamental combustion principles, including air/fuel balance, residence time, and temperature, to guide troubleshooting and performance improvement efforts.

Provide expert guidance on control strategy adjustments, operating targets, and system interactions affecting combustion stability and throughput.

Performance Triage & Problem Selection

Review operating and exceptions data to identify issues that merit deeper investigation versus those that are expected or non‑actionable.

Exercise sound technical judgment in prioritizing effort, focusing on issues where combustion engineering can materially improve outcomes.

Avoid unnecessary intervention in well‑performing facilities while proactively engaging where emerging risks or degradation are identified.

Help plants and leadership understand what matters, why it matters, and what does not within the expected skillset.

Environmental Exceedance & RCA Support

Support root cause analyses related to environmental exceedances, abnormal emissions events, and combustion‑related operating deviations.

Analyze event timelines, operating data, and control system trends to determine causal mechanisms rather than symptoms.

Partner with Environmental, Operations, and Maintenance teams to define corrective and preventive actions that are technically sound and operationally sustainable.

Provide expert input on whether events warrant deeper investigation or represent known, understood failure modes.

Cross‑Functional Influence & Relationship Management

Build trusted relationships with plant personnel by listening, demonstrating technical credibility, and valuing operational insight.

Act as a conduit between facilities, plant leadership, and corporate engineering, ensuring critical information flows appropriately.

Support alignment between facility operations and facility management when technical perspectives differ.

Knowledge Stewardship & Capability Building

Leverage historical operating data, prior analyses, and plant‑specific documentation to inform recommendations and share relevant insights.

Contribute to the development and dissemination of combustion‑related best practices, guidance documents, and institutional knowledge.

Coach and mentor other engineers and plant personnel on combustion fundamentals, performance drivers, and systems thinking.

Reinforce consistent application of combustion basics across the fleet.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline. Candidates who do not have a 4‑year degree may be considered with equivalent job experience.

Travel Requirement

Ability and willingness to travel up to 20% to support facility needs, investigations, performance improvement efforts, and stakeholder engagement.

Experience

Minimum of 8–10 years of experience in combustion systems, boiler performance, thermal processes, or industrial power generation.

Demonstrated experience supporting operating facilities in a senior technical or advisory capacity.

Proven ability to compile and analyze complex operating data and translate findings into practical, high‑impact recommendations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to operate with minimal direction and set technical direction within their domain.

Recognized internally as a trusted expert whose judgment is relied upon during high‑impact events.

Ability to balance technical rigor with practical operational realities.

Strong organizational, communication, and reporting skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Waste‑to‑Energy or solid‑fuel combustion experience strongly preferred.

Experience supporting environmental compliance investigations or emissions‑related RCAs.

Deep familiarity with combustion control systems and distributed control systems (DCS).

Track record of influencing outcomes without direct authority.

Benefits

• The benefits would include medical, prescription drug, vision, and dental plans; 401(k) plan; paid parental leave; paid time off; and paid holidays.

ReworldTM provides an industry‑leading benefits package that supports the whole person—even their families—through a balanced approach to mental, physical, and financial wellbeing. Regular full‑time employees based in the USA have access to comprehensive medical, prescription drugs, dental, and vision coverage, FSA, HSA, short‑and‑long‑term disability benefits. Our 401(k) plan is industry‑leading, with an up to 7% company match. Additional benefits include Company‑paid life and AD&D insurance, EAP, paid parental leave, and educational assistance. For more information regarding these offerings, please visit the Reworld Careers Benefits Page.

DEI Commitment

Reworld is an Equal Opportunity Employer, has developed an affirmative Action Program (AAP), and will not discriminate against any qualified applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability (including perceived disability, physical, mental, and/or intellectual disabilities), veteran status, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Pay Transparency

Reworld is committed to paying its staff equitably, and we strive to provide competitive compensation and benefits packages. The range below reflects Reworld’s reasonable estimate of base pay for this role based on primary posting location.

The pay range for the primary location of this position is: $91,200.00 - $121,400.00 USD per annum.

Reworld™ reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate any benefit plan, in whole or in part, at any time.

Agency Information

Reworld may sometimes selectively collaborate with staffing agencies and search firms (Agencies). Reworld will only consider candidates from agencies with whom a signed agreement and a duly authorized work order (for a specific role) has been duly executed. Any unsolicited candidate submissions or candidate submissions from agencies that do not meet these criteria, will be deemed invalid and ineligible for any fees.

Additional Information

All Reworld positions require a candidate’s ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the role while upholding Reworld's Values, including (but not limited to) contributing to a safe and inclusive workplace, delivering results through trust, and building breakthrough capabilities.

For more information: Visit https://www.reworldwaste.com/