Senior Project Engineer: Lead Cradle-to-Startup Projects

Top Echelon Software LLC; Starkville (MS); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Top Echelon Software LLC is assisting a client in Starkville, MS, seeking a Senior Project Engineer to lead an portfolio of capital and improvement projects from concept through commissioning and start‑up.

The role requires a BS in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering and 8+ years of experience in project management, plant operations or process design, with hands‑on FEED, P&IDs, PFDs, cost estimation, procurement, and vendor selection.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Manage an individual portfolio of projects from initial concept through commissioning and start‑up.
• Coordinate Operations, Environmental, Transportation, Safety, contractors, vendors, and other project stakeholders.
• Travel to job sites as needed to support project execution.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Troubleshooting

Travel readiness

PPE in manufacturing

Microsoft Office

VBA programming

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

VBA programming

Job description

Top Echelon Software LLC is assisting a client in Starkville, MS, seeking a Senior Project Engineer to lead an portfolio of capital and improvement projects from concept through commissioning and start‑up.

The role requires a BS in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering and 8+ years of experience in project management, plant operations or process design, with hands‑on FEED, P&IDs, PFDs, cost estimation, procurement, and vendor selection.