Senior Production Engineer

Dow; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Bonus opportunity

401(k) retirement program

Medical and life insurance

Employee discounts

On-site fitness facilities

Job summary

Dow in the United States seeks a Senior Production Engineer to optimize plant operations, resolve process issues, and enable safe, cost-effective production. This role requires broad knowledge across chemical/mechanical/material science disciplines and demonstrates leadership in operational excellence.

You will partner with operations teams, apply MET concepts, analyze KPI trends, and drive corrective actions during unplanned events while ensuring permit compliance and site integration.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor or master’s degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or material science/metallurgical engineering.
• 3–5 years of experience in a similar role.
• Fluency in English; Japanese language capability is a must.

Responsibilities

• Works closely with the operations team applying technical skills to optimize plant operations.
• Utilizes MET concepts and process automation to improve performance.
• Diagnoses root causes of asset utilization losses and documents findings.
• Maintains KPI trends and responds to plant issues and emergencies.
• Provides leadership and optimization in Raw Material Efficiency and ensures compliance with operating permits.

Skills

Change management

Operations

Process improvement

Statistics

Collaborative spirit

Chemical Engineering background

Mechanical Engineering background

Material science background

Education

Bachelor or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Material Science / Metallurgical Engineering

Job description

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet. Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.

About you and this role

We are looking for a Senior Production Engineer who serves as a vital resource for Operations by applying technical skills to optimize plant operations, resolve plant problems, and enable safe and efficient production of low cost, quality products. Requires broadened conceptual and working knowledge and experience in job discipline to perform a range of work assignments.

Responsibilities

• Works closely with the operations team leveraging their problem solving skills and technical expertise.
• Elevates and appropriately applies knowledge of the plant and technology referencing historical data and conferring with Technology Center or other subject matter experts (SMEs).
• Ensures Most Effective Technology (MET) is understood and utilized and that process automation is used as a tool to optimize plant performance.
• Utilizes defined MET and challenges/escalates MET application and assumptions when better solutions arise.
• Partners with experts to perform advanced troubleshooting and improve and document operating discipline.
• Diagnoses and documents root causes of asset utilization losses in the facility.
• Understands why specific procedure steps and precautions are needed and keeps a strong field presence to reinforce the importance.
• Conducts daily review of logbook and alarm history to better understand the plant operation and stay engaged with daily activities.
• Maintains, owns, and reviews daily Key Process Indicators (KPI)/ trends to ensure optimum performance.
• Responds urgently to plant issues and emergencies.
• Acts as a unit technical expert during unplanned events and drives implementation of effective corrective and preventative actions.
• Provides leadership, expertise, diagnosis, and optimization in plant Raw Material Efficiency, which may include yield or waste generation.
• Ensures compliance with plant operating permits.
• Understands site integration and provides input to optimize the overall system.

Qualifications

• A min of Bachelor or master’s degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Material Science / Metallurgical Engineer.
• Looking for min 3-5 yrs of experience in the similar role.
• Language capability of both Japanese and English is a must.

Your Skills

• Change management.
• Chemical Engineering background.
• Mechanical Engineering background.
• Material science background.
• Someone who has collaborative spirit.
• Operations.
• Process improvement.
• Statistics.

Additional notes

No relocation support is provided on the role.

Benefits – What Dow offers you

• Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity across our global markets, along with locally relevant incentives.
• Benefits and programs to support your physical, mental, financial, and social well-being, to help you get the care you need...when you need it.
• Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources to help you achieve your long term financial-goals.
• Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies depending on location).
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only).
• Dow will take the value of monthly student debt payments and apply them as if they are contributions to the Employees’ Savings Plan (401(k)), helping employees reach the Company match.
• Robust medical and life insurance packages that offer a variety of coverage options to meet your individual needs.
• Travel insurance is also available in certain countries/locations.
• Opportunities to learn and grow through training and mentoring, work experiences, community involvement and team building.
• Workplace culture empowering role-based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs.
• Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
• Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non-birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).
• Paid time off to care for family members who are sick or injured.
• Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group’s (ERG) participation.
• Wellbeing Portal for all Dow employees, our one-stop shop to promote wellbeing, empowering employees to take ownership of their entire wellbeing journey.
• On-site fitness facilities to help stay healthy and active (availability varies depending on location).
• Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships and more.
• Additionally, some of our locations might offer: Transportation allowance (availability varies depending on location) Meal subsidiaries/vouchers (availability varies depending on location) Carbon-neutral transportation incentives e.g. bike to work (availability varies depending on location).

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment.

We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career.

Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.

We are a diverse community marked by respect, integrity, and a desire to make the world a better place.

A career at Dow is an invitation to explore, create, and make valuable contributions to human progress.