Process Engineer

Actalent; New Jersey; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Wellness Program

PTO/Holidays

401(k) retirement plan with company‑m​

Paid parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Actalent in Somerset, NJ is seeking a chemical process engineer for the permanent role. You will support design, development, scale-up, and implementation of chemical manufacturing processes from laboratory scale through pilot plant to full production.

Responsibilities include preparing process deliverables, equipment selections, and safety reviews, while collaborating across R&D, Operations, and Quality. The role emphasizes data analytics, DOE planning, and process optimization to improve

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering required; master's preferred.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in chemical process development, scale-up, or manufacturing.
• Familiar with PFDs, P&IDs, Plant 3D models, equipment specs, control narratives, and operating procedures.
• Experience with specialty chemicals or complex formulations is preferred; strong troubleshooting skills.
• Strong ability to perform mass/energy balances, heat transfer, fluid flow, and equipment sizing.
• Knowledge of API, ASME, OSHA, EPA, NFPA, and PSM principles.

Responsibilities

• Support design, development, scale-up, and implementation of chemical processes from lab to production.
• Prepare and review process engineering deliverables: PFDs, P&IDs, mass/energy balances, heat transfer, and controls.
• Assist with facility and equipment design, utility systems, and process safety considerations.
• Evaluate process equipment including reactors, vessels, pumps, heat exchangers, and piping.
• Develop datasheets, specifications, scopes of work, and vendor requirements for projects.
• Contribute to capital project execution: design reviews, contractor coordination, commissioning, startup, and closeout.
• Plan and execute experiments using DOE, sampling, and process capability studies.
• Analyze process data to identify trends and improvement opportunities; apply SPC techniques.

Skills

Process design

Data analytics

Engineering calculations

Regulatory awareness

Process safety awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Excel

Minitab

JMP

Python

SQL

Tableau

PFDs

P&IDs

Plant 3D

Job description

Job Description:

• Support the design, development, scale-up, and implementation of chemical manufacturing processes from laboratory scale through pilot plant and commercial production.
• Assist with the preparation and review of process engineering deliverables, including process flow diagrams, P&IDs, mass balances, energy balances, heat transfer calculations, fluid-flow calculations, equipment-sizing calculations, utility demand estimates, process-control narratives, and operating envelopes.
• Support the design and modification of chemical manufacturing facilities, process skids, reaction systems, mixing systems, filtration systems, material-transfer systems, storage tanks, utility systems, and related infrastructure.
• Apply established engineering standards, company procedures, and regulatory requirements to process and equipment design activities under the direction of senior engineering personnel.
• Assist with evaluations related to pressure relief, process venting, secondary containment, flammable vapors, hazardous-material handling, and other process safety considerations.
• Support the selection, specification, and evaluation of process equipment, including reactors, vessels, tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, condensers, filters, piping systems, instrumentation, control valves, relief devices, and utility equipment.
• Prepare and update equipment datasheets, technical specifications, scopes of work, vendor requirements, bid documentation, and other engineering documents for capital and process-improvement projects.
• Support capital project execution activities, including design reviews, vendor evaluations, contractor coordination, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, equipment installation, commissioning, startup, and project closeout.
• Develop and execute experimental plans using basic engineering and statistical methods, including design of experiments, hypothesis testing, sampling plans, process capability studies, and process validation approaches.
• Collect, organize, and analyze process and manufacturing data to identify trends, sources of variation, operating limitations, and opportunities for improvement.
• Apply statistical process control and process-performance monitoring techniques to support improvements in yield, quality, manufacturing consistency, and process capability.
• Analyze data using tools such as Excel, Minitab, JMP, Python, SQL, Tableau, or equivalent analytical platforms.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on throughput, cycle time, yield, quality, safety, cost, reliability, waste reduction, and process capability.
• Collaborate with R&D, Operations, Quality, EH&S, Maintenance, Automation, Supply Chain, and external vendors to support technology transfer and manufacturability of new and existing products.
• Assist with the development of process automation and control requirements, including instrumentation selection, control descriptions, PLC or DCS interface requirements, alarm requirements, process monitoring, and data-historian needs.
• Participate in process risk assessments, design reviews, process hazard analyses, management-of-change reviews, commissioning reviews, and pre-startup safety reviews.
• Perform other duties and support global engineering initiatives as required.
• Support development and operation of pilot lines and beaker level experimental work under minimal guidance from managers and senior engineers.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, or related discipline required; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in chemical process development, scale-up, or manufacturing.
• Has knowledge of engineering documentation, including PFDs, P&IDs, Plant 3D models, equipment specifications, control narratives, operating procedures, commissioning plans, and technical reports.
• Experience with specialty chemicals, electronic chemicals, advanced materials, batch chemical processing, reaction systems, or complex formulated products is preferred. Demonstrated expertise in reaction chemistry and complex process troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated experience with process calculations, including mass balances, energy balances, heat transfer, fluid flow, mixing, reaction engineering, equipment sizing, pressure drop, utility sizing, and process scale-up.
• Basic understanding of applicable engineering standards and regulatory frameworks, including API, ASME, OSHA, EPA, NFPA, and process safety management principles.
• Advanced ability to perform chemical engineering calculations, including material balances, energy balances, reaction calculations, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, mixing, equipment sizing, pressure drop, and utility calculations.
• Ability to use data analytics to identify trends, process variation, root causes, and improvement opportunities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Somerset, NJ.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $80000.00 - $110000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

We are Offering... Challenge Yourself and Impact the Future - We are committed to solving the complete and evolving needs of our customers through innovation and high-quality standards. We are focused on brining cutting edge and environmentally sustainable solutions to the market. Our people are the critical resource required to make that happen. We support your success by creating a strong, inclusive culture, competitive total rewards and an appropriate work-life balance. As part of the MAES Team, you will have ... Opportunities for career growth, competitive compensation (competitive base salary and performance related bonus plan) and benefits packages (health, dental, and vision insurance, Wellness Program, PTO/Holidays, as well as a 401(k)-retirement plan with a company match). Innovated work environment where you will be a part of a dynamic and collaborative team. Perks and Incentives such as paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and opportunities for professional development.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Somerset,NJ.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 2, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.