Senior Project Engineer

The Keystone Distinction Group; Starkville (MS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Keystone Distinction Group seeks a Senior Project Engineer to manage a portfolio of capital projects from concept through commissioning and start-up at sites in the United States. The role requires leading cross-functional teams and ensuring on-time, on-budget execution.

Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor's in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering and 8+ years in project management, plant operations, or process design, with strong communication and leadership capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering is required.
• 8+ years of engineering experience with focus on project management, plant operations, or process design.
• Experience managing capital and improvement projects from cradle to grave (scope, schedule, budget, execution).
• Project experience typically ranging from $1 million to $15 million, with ability to support larger projects.

Responsibilities

• Manage an individual portfolio of projects from concept through commissioning and start-up.
• Coordinate with Operations, Environmental, Transportation, Safety, contractors, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide clear project updates, schedules, cost reports, and technical information.

Skills

Project management

Plant operations

Process design

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

VBA programming

Job description

Our client is a manufacturer of water treatment chemicals and other specialty chemicals. The company’s corporate project group supports capital and improvement projects across several manufacturing facilities in the United States. This Senior Project Engineer will manage an individual portfolio of projects from initial concept through commissioning and start-up.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• At least 8 years of engineering experience with a focus on project management, plant operations, or process design.
• Experience independently managing capital and improvement projects from cradle to grave, including scope, schedule, budget, and execution.
• Experience with projects typically ranging from $1 million to $15 million, with the ability to support occasional larger projects.
• Hands‑on experience with cost estimating, FEED, preliminary P&IDs and PFDs, equipment and vendor selection, procurement, construction oversight, commissioning, and start-up.
• Strong knowledge of mass and energy balances, hydraulic analysis, equipment sizing, process modeling, and heat‑transfer calculations.
• Ability to provide plant support through process troubleshooting, improvement work, and pilot‑facility activities as needed.
• Proven leadership and decision‑making skills with the ability to coordinate Operations, Environmental, Transportation, Safety, contractors, vendors, and other project stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide clear project updates, schedules, cost reports, and technical information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; VBA programming knowledge is a plus.
• Strong organization, time management, and adaptability, along with a willingness to travel to job sites and work in a hands‑on manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work around industrial equipment, climb stairs and ladders, wear required PPE, perform prolonged desk and computer work, and lift up to 25 pounds as needed.

This position is located in the Starkville area, part of Mississippi’s Golden Triangle. The area offers a university‑town atmosphere with access to dining, arts, college sports, and outdoor recreation, with Columbus and West Point nearby.