Sr. Manufacturing Engineer

Ascend Performance Materials Operations; Pensacola (FL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascend Performance Materials seeks a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to lead safe, reliable unit and utility operations. You will monitor production, energy use, and losses; troubleshoot performance gaps; and drive improvement actions across steam, electrical, and water systems.

You’ll provide technical support for steam generation, cogeneration, distribution, and deep-well injection while ensuring compliance with environmental permits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in chemical, electrical, or mechanical engineering.
• 7-15 years of relevant experience, including at least five years supporting industrial utilities, a powerhouse, or comparable energy or water infrastructure.
• Experience with boilers, steam distribution, cogeneration, steam turbines, electrical distribution, compressed air, nitrogen, industrial water treatment, demineralized water, river water, and injection systems.
• Experience interpreting environmental permit requirements for wells, underground injections, stormwater, or surface-water use.
• Working knowledge of Aspen products, heat transfer, and hydraulics.
• Strong knowledge of process safety management (PSM).
• Green Belt Certification

Responsibilities

• Monitor unit performance and troubleshoot process issues.
• Apply entitlement models and improve tracking tools with Production Engineering.
• Develop improvement projects with Process Engineering and elevate issues for advanced analysis.
• Track and categorize production losses; address KPI gaps.
• Support unit regulatory compliance and understand environmental permit requirements.
• Facilitate MOC reviews for unit needs.
• Train operators and support production planning and closeout.
• Maintain unit process safety information (PSI).
• Participate in PHAs and coordinate follow-up actions.
• Review and improve preventive maintenance strategies.
• Lead RCAs for incidents.
• Cover for Senior Production Manager as needed.
• Mentor junior manufacturing engineers.

Skills

Technical skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Team collaboration

Adaptability

Education

Chemical engineering

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Aspen Plus

Process Simulation

Job description

OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is a global leader in high-performance chemicals, fibers, and plastics, committed to enhancing quality of life through innovation. With fully integrated manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, we develop essential solutions that drive safer vehicles, cleaner energy, advanced medical devices, and durable consumer goods. Guided by a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and customer success, we operate responsibly while delivering value through cutting-edge technologies and industry expertise.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer drives safe, reliable, and efficient unit and utility operations. The role monitors production, quality, material and energy use, and operating losses; troubleshoots performance gaps; and leads improvement actions. The engineer also provides technical support for site utilities, including steam generation and distribution, cogeneration, steam turbines, electrical distribution, compressed air, nitrogen, water systems, and deep-well injection. The role supports compliance with applicable environmental permits for wells, stormwater, and river water systems.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Drive Unit Performance to operational entitlement with respect to yields, usages, reliability and quality
• Achieve annual operating productivity targets by maintaining a unit performance tracking program.
• Maintain accurate account of all unit production losses and drive actions to correct.
• Drive safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective utility generation and distribution; identify and execute opportunities to reduce energy and water consumption, improve equipment reliability, and optimize operating costs.
• Maintain a proactive compliance program for applicable FDEP permits, including permit-condition tracking, monitoring/reporting coordination, recordkeeping, and timely escalation of deviations or potential noncompliance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Monitor unit performance and troubleshoot process issues.
• Work with Production Engineering to apply entitlement models, improve tracking tools, implement technology, and deliver productivity plans.
• Work with Process Engineering to develop improvement projects and elevate issues requiring advanced analysis.
• Track and categorize production losses; address KPI gaps.
• Support unit regulatory compliance and understand applicable environmental permit requirements.
• Facilitate management-of-change (MOC) reviews for unit needs.
• Train operators and support production planning, tracking, and closeout.
• Maintain unit process safety information (PSI).
• Participate in process hazard analyses (PHAs) and coordinate recommendation follow-up.
• Review and improve preventive maintenance strategies.
• Lead root cause analyses (RCAs) for incidents.
• Cover for the Senior Production Manager as needed.
• Mentor junior manufacturing engineers.

REPORTS TO

Senior Production Manager - Powerhouse

TEAM

• Senior Processors
• Control Room Board and Field Processors
• Operations Coordinators
• Production Manager
• Manufacturing Engineers
• Process Specialists
• Operations Manager

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's or master's degree in chemical, electrical, or mechanical engineering.
• 7-15 years of relevant experience, including at least five years supporting industrial utilities, a powerhouse, or comparable energy or water infrastructure in manufacturing or process industries.
• Experience with several of the following: boilers and steam distribution, cogeneration or power generation, steam turbines, electrical distribution and protection, compressed air, nitrogen, industrial water treatment, demineralized water, river water, and deep-well or underground injection systems.
• Experience interpreting and implementing environmental permit requirements for wells, underground injections, stormwater, or surface-water use.
• Working knowledge of Aspen products, heat transfer, and hydraulics.
• Strong knowledge of process safety management (PSM).
• Green Belt Certification

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Strong technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment and provide after-hours support.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to perform in a highly dynamic work environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of Steam, Compressed Air, Water, and Electrical Distribution systems.
• Ability to analyze utility balances, equipment performance, energy usage, and operating data; translate findings into practical reliability, cost, and process improvements.
• Ability to interpret P&IDs, electrical one-lines, equipment datasheets, control narratives, operating procedures, and permit documents.
• Strong project execution and stakeholder coordination skills, including work with Operations, Maintenance, Process/Production Engineering, Environmental, and external service providers.

AT ASCEND PERFORMANCE MATERIALS, WE VALUE TRANS…

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value trans