Process Engineer—Chemical Operations

Suterra; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Suterra in Bend, Oregon is seeking a Process Engineer in Chemical Operations to validate and improve manufacturing processes for commercial scale. You will define processes, specify equipment and lead the launch of new chemicals and production improvements.

The role partners with chemical development, production, maintenance and EH&S to achieve safe, high‑quality mass production. Responsibilities include updating SOPs and batch records, maintaining BOMs, and driving process improvements and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
• 3–5 years in engineering role with product development or manufacturing.
• Experience with SPC and DOE for process validation.
• Experience in sites with Process Safety Management.
• Ability to operate lab equipment for in‑process quality control.
• Familiarity with PLCs and troubleshooting chemical, mechanical and electrical issues.
• Demonstrated problem solving with risk mitigation.
• Enthusiasm for teamwork across multiple levels and functions.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Publish SOPs reflecting process changes and keep batch records updated.
• Maintain BOM for production outputs for cross‑functional use.
• Obtain approvals for SOP/batch changes from stakeholders.
• Define functional requirements for new equipment to improve performance.
• Run tests to confirm equipment changes or upgrades.
• Define maintenance for sustained process performance.
• Plan trials to demonstrate production capability for new products.
• Analyze trial data to identify issues and propose improvements.
• Specify materials, SOPs, and parameters aligned with safety, quality, cost targets.
• Support production by root cause analysis and cross‑functional solutions.
• Generate and assess proposals for process improvements across procedures, equipment, tools.
• Analyze production data to identify issues and improvements.

Skills

SPC & DOE

Lab testing

PLC troubleshooting

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering

Tools

Lab equipment operation

Process Safety Management

Troubleshooting

Job description

Company Description

Join the Team Powering the Future of Sustainable Agriculture

Bend, OR | Onsite | Process Engineer—Chemical Operations

Suterra is the world’s leading provider of biorational products for crop protection and commercial pest control. The company is dedicated to researching, developing and commercializing environmentally‑friendly products using naturally occurring compounds such as pheromones. Suterra is growing rapidly and investing heavily in new product development and active ingredient chemical synthesis. The company’s parent, The Wonderful Company, has invested over $80 million in a modern, state‑of‑the‑art facility in Bend, Oregon to synthesize active ingredients and manufacture proprietary dispensing technologies.

In order to support Suterra’s continued investment in sustainable technology we are recruiting a Process Engineer in our Chemical Operations group. The Process Engineer will be responsible for validating and improving processes used to make chemicals at commercial scale, defining processes, specifying equipment and leading the launch process for new chemicals and production improvements. The role interfaces closely with chemical development, production, maintenance, and environmental, health and safety teams to achieve and sustain mass production of high‑quality chemicals safely and efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Publish new and updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reflect agreed process changes.
• Publish new and updated batch records to reflect agreed process and BOM changes.
• Maintain the bill of material (BOM) for each production output for use across the organization.
• Secure approval for changes to SOPs and batch records from affected stakeholders prior to publishing.
• Define functional requirements for new equipment to achieve process performance.
• Prescribe criteria and run tests to confirm equipment changes or upgrades.
• Define maintenance required to maintain all aspects of process performance.
• Devise trials for demonstration of production process capability pertaining to new products.
• Analyze trial data to identify issues and propose improvements.
• Define material specifications, SOPs, and process parameters that are compatible with our goals for safety, quality, delivery and cost in mass production.
• Support production by determining the root cause of quality issues and working cross‑functionally to propose and implement solutions.
• Generate and assess proposals for process improvement including changes in procedures, equipment, and tools.
• Analyze production data to identify issues and propose improvements.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
• Three to five years of experience in an engineering role involving product development or manufacturing.
• Understanding of and experience with tools for characterizing and validating processes, including Statistical Process Control and Design of Experiments.
• Experience at a site under Process Safety Management and direct involvement in implementing the elements of the program.
• Ability to use lab equipment for testing chemicals and train other team members in the basic operation of lab equipment for in‑process quality control.
• Familiarity with programmable logic controllers and the ability to troubleshoot chemical, mechanical and electrical issues.
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems while mitigating risks to resources and deadlines.
• Enthusiasm for teamwork at multiple levels and across multiple functions of the organization.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

The Wonderful Company is an Equality Opportunity Employer that provides opportunities for advancement. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce that embodies a deep culture of acceptance, equity, and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, region, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

EEO is the law.