Senior Process Engineer

Fortera; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Fortera, based in Silicon Valley with a ReCarb plant in Redding, CA, seeks a Senior Process Engineer to lead engineering support for mineral grinding, kiln operation, dissolution, gas absorption, and drying. You’ll bridge R&D, core process design, and external firms to scale Fortera’s cement technology.

This hands-on role requires experience in chemical production and plant operations, with a focus on equipment design decisions and process control implementation.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering.
• 10+ years engineering experience designing, scaling, building, and commissioning a chemical or materials manufacturing plant or similar production plant.
• Well versed in engineering design utilizing PFDs, P&IDs, and Process Hazard Analyses (PHA).
• Experience designing a plant through to its operation; cement experience not required but helpful.
• Proficient with process modeling software: Aspen+ or equivalent.
• Knowledge of solids handling, water treatment, slurry dewatering and drying.
• Experience interacting with external engineering firms, contractors, and equipment suppliers.
• Experience with large industrial rotating equipment.
• Strong mechanical skills for plant operations and equipment.
• Experience with PLC controls for pilot and commercial plant operations; Allen-Bradley preferred.

Responsibilities

• Scale up and develop process unit operations from R&D for full scale implementation.
• Summarize process and regulatory requirements to evaluate and select plant equipment.
• Validate production equipment selection.
• Oversee plant piping material selections, line sizing, and pipe routing.
• Participate in plant instrumentation and valve selections.
• Participate in plant design Process Hazard Analysis and lead close‑out resolutions.
• Execute and improve the management of change program following the Process Hazard Analysis.
• Development and implementation of process controls.
• Nominally 15% travel to plant sites and vendors during procurement, construction and commissioning phases.
• Other related duties may be assigned to you by the Company as needed.

Skills

Process engineering

Plant operations

PFDs & P&IDs

PHA (Process Hazard Analyses)

Aspen Plus

Industrial equipment design

PLC controls (Allen-Bradley)

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

B.S. in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Aspen Plus

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Job description

Fortera is transforming one of the world's largest industries by reinventing how cement is made. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Fortera has developed next-generation cement technology that delivers high performance while reducing CO₂ emissions by up to ~70%. By mineralizing CO₂ and turning it into a productive feedstock, Fortera converts emissions into a valuable building material, creating a more sustainable path for modern construction.

With our commercial ReCarb® plant operating in Redding, California, and a growing global project pipeline, Fortera is moving from first-of-a-kind deployment to scaled commercialization. Our technology is already being used in real-world infrastructure applications, bringing next-generation cement into use today while expanding toward broader adoption.

At Fortera, you'll work alongside scientists, engineers, operators, and industry experts who are turning cutting-edge materials science into real-world impact. We're looking for curious thinkers, builders, and problem-solvers who want to help tackle one of the biggest challenges facing our planet.

This is more than a job. It's an opportunity to help shape the future of sustainable construction.

Build What's Next.

Visit www.forteraglobal.com to learn more.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Process Engineer will lead engineering support for successful design and operation of all Fortera processes: mineral grinding, kiln operation/calcination, mineral dissolution, gas absorption, precipitation, solids dewatering, and drying.

This is a hands‑on role requiring a driven, experienced mechanical or chemical engineer who would be versatile enough to bridge the gaps between R&D, internal core process design, and outside engineering firms or equipment suppliers.

The position is best suited for someone with chemical production experience who understands plant operations, can effectively oversee the plant engineering activities, and own all equipment design and specifications decisions.

This individual must be able to deal with the unknown challenges brought on by implementing new technology and manufacturing processes and is comfortable with not knowing all the answers but be able to make decisions and recommendations as we go.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Scale up and develop process unit operations from R&D for full scale implementation
• Summarize process and regulatory requirements to evaluate and select plant equipment
• Validate production equipment selection
• Oversee plant piping material selections, line sizing, and pipe routing
• Participate in plant instrumentation and valve selections
• Participate in plant design Process Hazard Analysis and lead close‑out resolutions
• Execute and improve the management of change program following the Process Hazard Analysis
• Development and implementation of process controls
• Nominally 15% travel to plant sites and vendors during procurement, construction and commissioning phases.
• Other related duties may be assigned to you by the Company as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum B.S. in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering
• 10+ years engineering experience designing, scaling, building, and commissioning a chemical or materials manufacturing plant or similar production plant
• Well versed in engineering design utilizing PFDs, P&IDs, and Process Hazard Analyses (PHA)
• Experience designing a plant through to its operation. (Direct experience in cement is not necessary, but experience producing chemicals or materials at multiple scales is a plus)
• Proficient with the following process modeling software: Aspen+ or equivalent (Heat and Mass Balance is a plus)
• Commanding knowledge of solids material handling, water treatment processing, slurry dewatering and drying
• Experience interacting with external engineering firms, contractors, and equipment suppliers
• Experience with large industrial sized rotating equipment
• Strong mechanical skills associated with plant operations and equipment
• Experience with process control schemes and implementation
• Experience with PLC controls for pilot and commercial plant operations; Allen‑Bradley preferred

COMPENSATION

The compensation package for this role includes a competitive base salary commensurate with experience of $145,000 - $170,000.

Fortera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other status protected by applicable law. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.