Senior RDX Production Engineer

Critical Materials Group; Ballinger (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Critical Materials Group is seeking a Senior RDX Production Engineer to lead and coordinate the Continuous Flow RDX program on-site, overseeing construction, installation, integration, and commissioning.

The role requires 12+ years in process engineering, with strong focus on safety, documentation, and improving yield and throughput across operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Process Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum 12 years of progressively responsible engineering experience in industrial facilities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams and managing contractors/vendors.

Responsibilities

• Serve as onsite technical lead for the Continuous Flow RDX program.
• Coordinate facility construction, equipment installation, and process integration.
• Lead commissioning, startup planning, and operational readiness activities.
• Develop technical data packages and maintain engineering documentation.
• Ensure safety compliance and hazard analyses throughout the program.

Skills

Process scale-up

Manufacturing implementation

Process troubleshooting

Commissioning & startup planning

Process safety management

Technical documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related technical discipline

Tools

PLC systems

Industrial controls

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Senior RDX Production Engineer

Department

Programs - Continuous Flow RDX Production Program

Reports To

Deputy Head of Programs

Location

Primarily on-site, with travel as required

FLSA Status

Full-Time, Exempt

Position Summary

Critical Materials Group (CMG) is developing advanced domestic energetic material manufacturing capabilities through implementation of a Continuous Flow RDX production system designed to improve safety, reproducibility, scalability, and manufacturing resilience.

The CF RDX Project Engineer serves as the senior technical execution lead for the RDX Program and is responsible for coordinating facility construction, equipment installation, process integration, automation implementation, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness activities.

This position represents the primary engineering authority for day-to-day execution of the CF RDX effort and serves as the technical integrator between process designers, automation providers, equipment vendors, construction contractors, Production, Operations, and Government stakeholders.

Because the CF RDX effort serves as the foundational manufacturing capability for multiple future CMG programs, this individual will establish technical and execution standards that will be leveraged across subsequent programs including CF HMX, PAX52, and AIME Formulation/LAP.

Key Responsibilities

Program Execution

• Serve as the onsite technical lead for the Continuous Flow RDX program.
• Execute program activities in accordance with approved cost, schedule, and technical baselines.
• Support development and maintenance of detailed execution schedules.
• Identify technical, schedule, and execution risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Support program reviews, milestone demonstrations, and sponsor engagements.

Facility Construction & Integration

• Act as CMG's engineering representative during facility construction activities.
• Coordinate installation of process equipment, utilities, environmental systems, and supporting infrastructure.
• Ensure facility layouts support operational, safety, maintenance, and production objectives.
• Coordinate with Operations personnel regarding site readiness requirements.
• Participate in construction acceptance and turnover activities.

Process Implementation & Optimization

• Serve as the primary engineering interface for externally developed process designs.
• Evaluate process designs for manufacturability, scalability, operability, and maintainability.
• Lead implementation of process modifications necessary to support operational requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve yield, throughput, product quality, and operational efficiency.
• Support process hazard analyses and operating procedure development.

Automation & Digital Integration

• Coordinate closely with the Automation & Digital Systems team.
• Support development of: Process control strategies, Instrumentation requirements, Data collection architectures, Process monitoring systems, Operational dashboards.
• Ensure process requirements are translated into automation requirements.
• Support validation of automation and control systems during commissioning.

Vendor & Contractor Management

• Manage technical interactions with: Equipment suppliers, Automation vendors, Construction contractors, Engineering support contractors.
• Review technical deliverables and equipment specifications.
• Participate in factory acceptance testing and site acceptance testing.
• Ensure vendor activities remain aligned with program objectives.

Commissioning & Startup

• Lead commissioning planning and execution activities.
• Develop startup plans and readiness checklists.
• Coordinate dry runs, integrated system testing, and operational demonstrations.
• Resolve technical issues arising during startup.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts during commissioning and initial operations.

Production Readiness

• Coordinate closely with Production and Operations organizations.
• Develop operating procedures and engineering work instructions.
• Support technician and operator training.
• Ensure systems are transitioned with complete documentation and supporting data.
• Support production readiness reviews and turnover activities.

Technical Data Package Development

• Support development and maintenance of Technical Data Packages (TDPs).
• Ensure engineering documentation remains current and configuration controlled.
• Review: PFDs, P&IDs, Equipment specifications, Control narratives, Operating procedures, Maintenance procedures.
• Support creation of production transition documentation.

Safety & Compliance

• Support explosives safety analyses and regulatory approvals.
• Ensure compliance with: OSHA Process Safety Management requirements, Environmental regulations, Explosives safety requirements, Site operating procedures.
• Participate in hazard analyses and risk assessments.
• Promote a strong safety culture across all project activities.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Direct daily activities of assigned technicians.
• Coordinate matrixed resources from: Production, Operations, Automation & Digital Systems, Safety & Compliance, Finance & Contracts.
• Mentor junior engineers, including the CF HMX Project Engineer.
• Establish engineering and execution best practices that can be replicated across future CMG manufacturing programs.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 12-18 months, the CF RDX Project Engineer has:

• Successfully integrated facility, equipment, and automation systems.
• Led commissioning and startup of the Continuous Flow RDX production capability.
• Established the technical baseline for future CMG energetics manufacturing efforts.
• Implemented robust process monitoring and data collection capabilities.
• Delivered complete Technical Data Packages and operational documentation.
• Enabled successful transition of the capability to Production and Operations organizations.
• Established engineering processes and lessons learned leveraged by the HMX, PAX52, and AIME/LAP programs.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications - Education

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Process Engineering, or related technical discipline.

Required Qualifications - Experience

• Minimum 12 years of progressively responsible engineering experience.
• Experience supporting design, construction, startup, or operation of industrial process facilities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Experience managing contractors, vendors, and external engineering organizations.
• Experience with hazardous chemical or energetic material processes.

Required Qualifications - Technical Skills

• Process scale-up and manufacturing implementation.
• Process troubleshooting and optimization.
• Commissioning and startup planning.
• Process safety management.
• Technical documentation development.
• Risk identification and mitigation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related discipline.
• Experience with nitration chemistry, energetic materials, explosives, propellants, or munitions manufacturing.
• Experience with continuous-flow chemical processing.
• Experience with automation, PLC systems, and industrial controls.
• Experience supporting DDESB approvals and explosive safety programs.
• Experience supporting government-funded manufacturing programs.
• Active Secret Clearance or ability to obtain one.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

This role is based primarily on-site at CMG's manufacturing campus, with travel to vendor, equipment, and contractor sites as required to support facility construction, commissioning, and startup activities.

This job description reflects the general nature and level of work performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Critical Materials Group reserves the right to amend this description at any time.