Senior Process Engineer

INEOS; League City (TX); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in chemical manufacturing is seeking a Senior Process Engineer for their League City, TX location. The role involves leading process design expertise and technical stewardship for capital projects while ensuring all deliverables meet safety and operational standards. Candidates should possess a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering and have 7–10+ years of relevant experience in the petrochemical industry. Strong knowledge of process simulation tools and engineering standards is essential. Minimal travel required.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of experience in petrochemicals, refining, or polymers process engineering.
• Owner’s-team experience supporting stage-gated capital projects from FEL1 through Execute.
• Demonstrated experience delivering process engineering for both small projects and major capital projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of heat and material balances using rigorous simulation.
• Produce and assure high-quality PFDs, P&IDs, line lists, and hydraulic calculations.
• Review contractor deliverables and ensure alignment with approved design basis.
• Provide process engineering support during construction and startup activities.

Skills

Process simulation tools (Aspen Plus, HYSYS)

Equipment sizing and specification

Process control philosophies

Engineering QA/QC discipline

Strong knowledge of API, ASME, ANSI, NFPA

Education

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Job description

Job Title: Senior Process Engineer – Capital Projects

Job Grade: H35

Salary Range: $125,000 – $175,000

Location: League City, TX

Travel: Minimal; limited to local contractor offices, nearby fabrication shops or plant sites as required

Purpose of the Job

The Senior Process Engineer provides process design expertise, owner’s‑team leadership, and technical stewardship at the project and asset level across the Olefins & Polymers asset base. The role leads development and assurance of process engineering deliverables for capital projects, reliability improvements, and operational enhancements from FEL1 through commissioning, ensuring designs are safe, operable, reliable, and aligned with business objectives. The position acts as a project‑ and asset‑level process engineering authority, guiding critical design decisions and ensuring disciplined engineering quality.

Accountabilities

Accountability 1: Process Engineering Expertise & Technical Stewardship

• Lead development of Heat & Material Balances using rigorous simulation and sound engineering fundamentals, covering normal, startup/shutdown, upset, turndown, and emergency scenarios, including utility and relief implications.
• Apply strong process design fundamentals to develop and review major equipment specifications, including reactors, columns, furnaces, heat exchangers, compressors, pumps, tanks, fired heaters, and utility systems.
• Produce and assure high‑quality PFDs, P&IDs, line lists, hydraulic calculations, control narratives, safeguarding philosophies, and Cause & Effect matrices, ensuring internal consistency across all deliverables.
• Provide technical input to relief system design, SIS requirements, interlock schematics, and flare or disposal system basis, applying IEC 61511 and ISA84 principles.
• Embed process safety through participation in HAZOP, LOPA, SIL determination, and facility siting, and steward timely closeout of actions.
• Maintain process integrity through disciplined Management of Change.

Accountability 2: Capital Project Development (FEL1–FEL3)

• Lead frontend process engineering using sound engineering judgment and technical trade‑off evaluation, comparing options for lifecycle value including capital cost, operating cost, energy efficiency, operability, reliability, and risk.
• FEL1 – Opportunity Evaluation: develop options maps and scope of facilities; define initial process philosophies and conceptual heat & material balances; identify early permitting constraints and support Class V estimate inputs and high‑level schedule logic; establish the Process Engineering Quality Management Plan for FEL2.
• FEL2 – Selection: validate and update the BEDD and contribute to development of the Project Design Basis; participate in optioneering and value improvement practices; provide rigorous QA/QC of contractor process deliverables, challenging assumptions and ensuring alignment with the approved design basis; support interdisciplinary reviews and development of Class III estimates.
• FEL3 – Definition: approve key process deliverables and steward closure of open technical decisions and action items; confirm readiness of process engineering packages for transition to Execute and EPC phases; validate process assumptions used in Class II and Class III estimates.

Accountability 3: Detailed Engineering, Contractor Management & Quality Assurance

• Serve as Owner’s Process Lead for assigned projects during detailed design, ensuring alignment with the approved design basis and safeguarding requirements.
• Review contractor deliverables including PFDs, P&IDs, hydraulic calculations, equipment datasheets, relief designs, and control narratives.
• Critically review change notifications and distinguish legitimate scope changes from design evolution.
• Resolve cross‑discipline issues with Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls, Civil/Structural, and Process Control.
• Drive early identification and closure of design gaps to reduce late changes and rework.

Accountability 4: Construction, Commissioning & Startup Support

• Provide process engineering support during construction, including response to field queries and review of deviations relative to design intent.
• Participate in PSSR, pre‑commissioning and commissioning readiness activities.
• Support startup activities including control loop tuning support, SIS validation support, troubleshooting, and performance testing.
• Review redlines and as‑built documentation for accuracy and contribute to project close‑out and lessons learned.
• Accountable for the technical quality and integrity of process engineering deliverables, not for long‑term asset operating results.

Required Profile

Education & Experience

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (required).
• 7–10+ years of experience in petrochemicals, refining, or polymers process engineering.
• Owner’s‑team experience supporting stage‑gated capital projects from FEL1 through Execute.
• Demonstrated experience delivering process engineering for both small projects and major capital projects.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with process simulation tools such as Aspen Plus or HYSYS.
• Strong working knowledge of API, ASME, ANSI, NFPA, PIP, OSHA, ISA, and company engineering standards.
• Expertise in equipment sizing and specification, hydraulics, relief systems, safeguarding/SIS, and process control philosophies.
• Strong engineering QA/QC and document control discipline.