Sr. Principal - Engineer - HSE (Process Safety)

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 66,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

401(k)

Pension

Vacation benefits

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Flexible benefits

Life insurance

Well-being benefits

Job summary

Lilly is building an advanced API manufacturing facility in Houston, TX. The Process Safety Engineer will drive core PSM elements during site readiness, startup, and GMP operations, partnering with multiple teams to embed safety into design, commissioning, and ongoing operations.

Key duties include risk analysis, safety procedure integration, incident investigation support, and external engagement with CCPS and other organizations to stay current with best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, chemistry or related field.
• Minimum 3 years in chemical or pharmaceutical manufacturing with PSM knowledge.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Responsibilities

• Provide process safety support across design, construction, startup and GMP operations.
• Lead PHA/HAZOP sessions, risk assessments, and risk mitigation activities.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Quality and HSE to ensure safe startup readiness.

Skills

Process Safety

Hazard Analysis

Cross-functional Collaboration

Regulatory Compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering

Tools

PHA

HAZOP

LOPA

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Job Position Overview:

Lilly is constructing an advanced manufacturing facility for the production of API molecules intended to support current and future products, including new modalities. The Process Safety Engineer provides technical expertise in process safety management and engineering support across all phases of site development. During construction, commissioning, qualification, pre-startup, and startup, this role will partner with Project Delivery, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and HSE teams to help establish the systems, processes, and practices necessary to support safe and compliant GMP manufacturing operations. After startup, the role will transition into an operational process safety position supporting API manufacturing, with primary focus on sustaining process safety management systems, providing technical support for high-risk process safety activities, and contributing to continuous improvement across site operations.

Responsibilities:

Pre-Startup and Startup Phase

• Support development and implementation of core process safety management elements required for site readiness, including but not limited to Employee Participation, Management of Change, Pre-Startup Safety Review, Process Hazard Analysis, operating procedure integration, and process safety information management.
• Provide process safety technical input during facility design, construction, commissioning, qualification, and startup to ensure hazards are identified, risks are evaluated, and controls are incorporated before transition to GMP operations.
• Support Process Hazard Analyses, HAZOP studies, What-If reviews, Layer of Protection Analysis, facility siting assessments, combustible dust evaluations, and related risk studies, ensuring findings are documented, tracked, and mitigated.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and HSE teams to integrate process safety requirements into startup readiness plans, training, procedures, equipment handover, and operational governance processes.
• Support onboarding, training, and knowledge-sharing activities to build process safety competency and reinforce safe work practices as the organization, systems, and work processes are being built.

Post-Startup Phase

• Provide process safety technical support for API manufacturing operations to help ensure ongoing process safety compliance, effective risk management, and reliable execution of established PSM programs.
• Sustain and continuously improve PSM elements, including Management of Change, Process Hazard Analysis revalidation, Pre-Startup Safety Review, mechanical integrity interfaces, operating procedure updates, training, and incident investigation support.
• Support high-risk operational activities by providing process safety guidance for changes, deviations, abnormal operations, shutdowns, startups, maintenance activities, and simultaneous operations.
• Monitor process safety performance through audits, field engagement, corrective action follow-up, incident learnings, management review inputs, and key performance indicators.
• Maintain technical relationships with corporate and site process safety teams and engage externally with industry organizations such as CCPS, P2SAC, and ACC process safety groups to stay current with best practices.

Basic Qualifications:

• Education Level: bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Chemistry, or related field of study.
• Experience: Minimum of 3 years of experience in chemical or pharmaceutical manufacturing, with demonstrated knowledge of process safety RAGAGEP including OSHA, 1910.119 NFPA, EPA RMP standards Process Safety Management (PSM) regulation.
• Licenses: N/A
• Language Requirements: N/A
• Required Skills Testing: N/A
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Additional Skills/ Preferences:

• Certified Process Safety Professional (CCPSC) or Professional Engineer (PE) preferred.
• Previous experience with Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), HAZOP, and What-If methodologies, including facilitation of PHA sessions.
• Previous experience with Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) methodology.
• Previous experience interfacing with HSE-related regulatory agencies.
• Previous experience with EPA Risk Management Plan (RMP) requirements and administration.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across cross-functional teams and communicate technical process safety concepts effectively to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to apply structured and systematic analytical approaches to complex process safety problems.
• Willingness to operate in a dynamic, startup environment requiring creativity, multi-tasking and resilience as organizational systems and culture are being built.

Additional Information:

This role supports a greenfield facility currently under construction; the scope and day-to-day responsibilities will evolve significantly between the project/startup phase (through approximately 2029-2030) and full GMP operations.

• Candidate will contribute technical process safety expertise to site readiness, program development, and operational support activities.
• Position Location: US: Houston TX
• Travel Percentage (%): 5
• Shift Information: N/A

NOTE:

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the job requirements at the time it was prepared. The job requirements of any position may change over time and may include additional responsibilities not specifically described in the job description. For GMP purposes, the job description should be updated for significant changes. As always, you should consult with your supervisor regarding your actual job responsibilities and any related duties that may be required for the position.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $66,000 - $171,600.

• Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance).
• company-sponsored 401(k).
• pension.
• vacation benefits.
• eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits.
• flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts).
• life insurance and death benefits.
• certain time off and leave of absence benefits.
• well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).

Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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