Renewables Principal Engineer, Process Design

Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P.; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P. is seeking a senior technical leader to drive renewable diesel and SAF process design.

This role partners with Operations, the Lab, and the Feedstock Supply team to optimize unit performance, catalyst life, and yield across RD and RIU units from startup through ongoing operation. The candidate will oversee HDO and isomerization processes, provide safety guidance for noble metal catalysts, and help scale up new technology while improving fractionator

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering (advanced degree a plus).
• 20+ years of process engineering experience in refining, petrochemical, or renewable fuels/SAF production.
• 5+ years experience at an operating RD and/or SAF plant.
• Deep hands-on experience with hydrotreating/deoxygenation (HDO) and isomerization process units.
• Demonstrated expertise in catalyst selection, performance optimization, and troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior technical authority for renewable diesel and SAF process design.
• Partner with Operations, the Lab, and the Feedstock Supply team to optimize unit performance.
• Provide technical leadership for safe start-up, integration, and optimization of renewal processing units.
• Lead design, start-up and commissioning for RDU and RIU projects.
• Provide guidance on safety considerations for noble metal isomerization catalyst and catalyst fouling mitigation.
• Support plans to significantly increase SPK yield and RDU run-length while increasing feed rate.

Skills

Process engineering

Hydrotreating

SAF production

Catalyst optimization

Feedstock testing

Safety/compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

20+ years of process engineering experience in refining, petrochemical, or renewable fuels/SAF production

5+ years experience at an operating RD and/or SAF plant

Tools

Hydroprocessing simulators

Job description

Who are we?

At Calumet we deliver innovative specialty products trusted by companies across the globe. We are the foundation to everyday essential products that help millions of people live and thrive. We are headquartered in Indianapolis and have numerous production locations in the US. We are customer focused and utilize our values of collaboration and entrepreneurship to grow the business. We offer a dynamic, high-performance environment where team members can have real input and impact on our business. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves, treat the business as if it is your own and add value accordingly, come see why we're Calumet Proud!

PURPOSE:

Serve as the senior technical authority for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) process design, providing deep technical expertise across feedstock strategy, hydrotreating/deoxygenation (HDO) reactor performance, and MaxSAF technology development. Partner with Operations, the Lab, and the Feedstock Supply team to optimize unit performance, catalyst life, and yield, and provide technical leadership for the safe start-up, integration, and optimization of the renewable processing units including the exiting RDU and the new RIU once commissioned

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Feedstock Selection, Testing and Treating
• Assist the feedstock supply team in identifying additional sources and insight into quality variation
• Assist the lab with feedstock testing procedures and processes
• Work with Operations on feedstock pretreatment unit optimization
• Support design and implementation of the WCU and related technologies that are part of MaxSAF Scope 3
• RDU Support
• Assist Operations with optimizing HDO catalyst performance
• Provide insight into performance of different HDO catalysts
• Provide insight into HDO catalyst fouling mechanisms and ways to mitigate fouling*
• Provide insight into processing feeds with higher levels of impurities
• Provide guidance on improving reaction stability and controls
• Provide guidance on fractionator stability and controls
• Provide guidance on isomerization catalyst operation and targets
• MaxSAF Support
• Provide guidance on converting the HTU to RIU, including operating procedure development, plant start-up and commissioning and optimization once operational
• Provide guidance on safety considerations for the noble metal isomerization catalyst
• Provide guidance on proper start-up and optimization of noble metal isomerization catalyst
• Provide support for integration of the RDU and RIU operation before, during and after start-up
• Provide support for plans to significantly increase SPK yield
• Provide leadership of option evaluation to increase RDU run-length while also increasing feed rate

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCES:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering (advanced degree a plus)
• 20+ years of process engineering experience in refining, petrochemical, or renewable fuels/SAF production
• 5+ years experience at an operating RD and/or SAF plant

PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCES:

• Deep hands‑on experience with hydrotreating/deoxygenation (HDO) and isomerization process units
• Demonstrated expertise in catalyst selection, performance optimization, and troubleshooting
• Experience qualifying and processing variable or opportunity feedstocks
• Experience supporting new‑unit start‑ups and technology scale‑up

Salary and benefits commensurate with experience. We are an equal opportunity employer including disability and veteran and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact our HR team at [e-mail]. Requests for accommodations will not impact hiring decisions, and all information provided will be kept confidential.

All offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test