Process Engineer

Judge Direct Placement; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Judge Direct Placement seeks a Process Engineer in the Norfolk, VA area. The role requires 10+ years of oilseed/oil extraction experience and strong project/process engineering leadership to guide capital and reliability initiatives.

As technical expert, you will optimize production, partner with cross-functional teams to improve safety, quality and efficiency, and mentor engineers while collaborating with vendors for practical, compliant solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Agricultural Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of agriculture project/process engineering experience.
• Experience developing scope packages, basis of design, equipment specs, and technical bid packages.
• Experience managing engineering documents and maintaining drawings, P&IDs and redlines.
• Experience in soybean processing, oilseed crushing, solvent extraction, or related chemical process manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical expert for manufacturing processes, material handling systems, production equipment, and supporting utilities.
• Lead troubleshooting, reliability improvements, process optimization, and operational performance initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to improve safety, quality, compliance, efficiency, throughput, and cost performance.
• Provide technical support for process upsets, startup activities, root cause analysis, and equipment performance issues.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, operating procedures, and process documentation.
• Lead technical scoping and engineering support for capital, maintenance, reliability, and capacity improvement projects.
• Manage process changes, ensuring proper documentation, risk review, and implementation.
• Monitor plant performance data and identify opportunities to improve productivity, yields, equipment effectiveness, and energy efficiency.
• Support long-range planning by identifying operational constraints, infrastructure needs, and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Mentor engineering and operations teams while delivering technical training and best practices.
• Collaborate with vendors, contractors, and engineering partners to evaluate technologies and implement practical solutions.
• Provide leadership during design reviews, commissioning, startup, and performance validation activities.
• Support process safety, compliance programs, and controlled document management across the facility.

Skills

Oilseed/oil extraction

Process engineering

Scope packages / BOD docs

Drawing management / P&IDs

Maintenance & reliability

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s in Chemical/Mechanical/Agricultural Engineering

Job description

Judge Direct Placement is seeking a Process Engineer in Norfolk, VA area!

*** Candidates must have 10 + years in Oilseed / Oil Extraction experience (grain, soybean, corn, etc.) and heavy project/process engineering***

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the technical expert for manufacturing processes, material handling systems, production equipment, and supporting utilities.
• Lead troubleshooting, reliability improvements, process optimization, and operational performance initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to improve safety, quality, compliance, efficiency, throughput, and cost performance.
• Provide technical support for process upsets, startup activities, root cause analysis, and equipment performance issues.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, operating procedures, and process documentation.
• Lead technical scoping and engineering support for capital, maintenance, reliability, and capacity improvement projects.
• Manage process changes, ensuring proper documentation, risk review, and implementation.
• Monitor plant performance data and identify opportunities to improve productivity, yields, equipment effectiveness, and energy efficiency.
• Support long-range planning by identifying operational constraints, infrastructure needs, and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Mentor engineering and operations teams while delivering technical training and best practices.
• Collaborate with vendors, contractors, and engineering partners to evaluate technologies and implement practical solutions.
• Provide leadership during design reviews, commissioning, startup, and performance validation activities.
• Support process safety, compliance programs, and controlled document management across the facility.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering or related)
• 10+ years experience in agriculture project/process engineering
• Demonstrate ability to develop project scope packages, basis of design documents, equipment specifications, and technical bid packages.
• Demonstrate experience managing engineering documents and maintaining current drawings, P&IDs, and redlines.
• Demonstrate experience in soybean processing, oilseed crushing, solvent extraction, vegetable oil refining, or comparable bulk solids and chemical process manufacturing.