Senior Process Engineer - Media Filtration

JEFF SMITH & ASSOCIATES, INC.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 150,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Full benefits

Job summary

JEFF SMITH & ASSOCIATES, INC. in Phoenix designs and manufactures filtration media and engineered treatment systems for stormwater and municipal water challenges.

The Senior Process Engineer will lead manufacturing operations, quality control, and process improvements for the media product line, working from lab bench to production floor and field installations. You will oversee scale-up, QC, pilot testing, field support, and regulatory compliance, supervise production staff, coordinate with

Job description

Our client designs and manufactures filtration media and engineered treatment systems for stormwater, industrial, and municipal water challenges, including hydrocarbons, sediment, bacteria, heavy metals, BOD, TSS, and PFAS.

We have been retained to find them a Senior Process Engineer who will be responsible for the manufacturing, quality, continuous improvement, and technical support of our client’s media and related treatment products — from the bench, to the production line, to the field. The Senior Process Engineer will oversee manufacturing operations, quality control, process improvements, inventory coordination, and performance validation for the media product line. This is a hands‑on role for an engineer who specializes in water treatment and is equally comfortable at a lab bench and on the production floor.

The position is primarily responsible for ensuring their media is manufactured safely, consistently, and efficiently while maintaining the quality standards that support customer success and regulatory requirements.

Production and Scale‑Up Responsibilities

• Support scale-up of media and products from lab quantities to full production.
• Diagnose and resolve production and field-performance issues at the root cause, and translate those findings into improved specifications, processes, and training.
• Work alongside production staff on the floor to implement and verify process and quality improvements.
• Manage daily manufacturing activities to ensure production schedules, quality standards, and customer delivery commitments are met.
• Coordinate production priorities with purchasing, inventory, logistics, and sales teams.
• Monitor manufacturing efficiency, material usage, throughput, waste generation, and process performance.
• Develop and maintain production SOPs, work instructions, batch records, and training materials.
• Support preventative maintenance programs and equipment troubleshooting to minimize downtime.

Quality Control Responsibilities

• Establish, document, and continuously improve the quality‑control standards and acceptance criteria for media.
• Set and maintain the standards for how media is loaded into vessels and filters, including packing density, distribution, flow, and pressure characteristics.
• Manage QC of media products coming off the production line, ensuring every batch meets specification before it ships.
• Use data to hold the standard: track quality trends, identify drift, and drive corrective action.
• Own and maintain manufacturing quality systems, procedures, and records.
• Approve batch production records and final product release prior to shipment.
• Lead investigations into non‑conforming materials, production deviations, field performance concerns, and customer complaints.
• Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to prevent recurrence of quality issues.
• Establish and track key quality metrics, process controls, and production performance indicators.
• Support NSF, EPA, ISO, customer audits, and third‑party certification programs as required.

Pilot and Testing Responsibilities

• Design, build, operate, and analyze small‑scale (bench and lab) pilot studies evaluating media performance across stormwater, industrial wastewater, and marine applications.
• Execute full‑scale pilot studies as directed, from experimental design through data collection and analysis.
• Develop repeatable test methods, SOPs, and acceptance criteria for incoming materials, in‑process checks, finished media, and field performance.
• Support process validation and production optimization testing to improve manufacturing consistency, product quality, and operational efficiency.

Manufacturing and Personnel Responsibilities

• Supervise production technicians and manufacturing personnel.
• Train employees on production procedures, quality requirements, safety protocols, and equipment operation.
• Promote a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the Chief Scientist and executive management to prioritize production needs and process improvements.

Inventory and Supply Chain Responsibilities

• Monitor raw material, work‑in‑process, and finished goods inventory levels.
• Coordinate with suppliers and purchasing personnel to ensure uninterrupted production.
• Verify incoming materials meet quality and specification requirements before use in production.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve inventory accuracy, and lower manufacturing costs.

Field Support Responsibilities

• Bring field learning back into the product: feed installation, sampling, and performance insights into media development and QC standards.
• Provide technical troubleshooting and operational support for customer installations as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Specialization in water treatment, with hands‑on experience treating industrial water streams.
• B.S. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related engineering or science discipline.
• Strong working knowledge of water chemistry and surface chemistry.
• Familiarity with bench‑scale and pilot‑scale testing, and the ability to interpret test results to improve product quality and manufacturing performance.
• Quality‑control experience: developing test methods, writing specifications and SOPs, and using data to hold a standard.
• Strong data‑analysis and technical‑writing skills.
• Willingness to travel to job sites for hands‑on installation, sampling, and troubleshooting.
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations, production processes, and quality systems.
• Experience conducting root cause investigations and implementing corrective actions.

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. in Chemical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience with adsorption media, activated carbon, filtration vessels, or water/wastewater treatment systems.
• Familiarity with stormwater/NPDES, industrial wastewater, or marine‑discharge regulations.
• Exposure to EPA product registration or antimicrobial / performance testing.
• Six Sigma, ISO, or formal quality‑system experience.
• OSHA 10‑or 30‑hour General Industry training, or OSHA 40‑hour HAZWOPER certification, for work in plant and industrial field environments.
• Experience managing production teams in a manufacturing environment.
• ISO 9001 Quality Management System experience.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma Green Belt, or Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
• Experience with specialty chemical, filtration media, adsorbent, or water treatment manufacturing operations.

Compensation is base salary of $150k-$165k or commensurate of experience, plus stock options and full benefits.

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