Thermal - Plant Engineer

Cordiaenergy; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a skilled Plant Engineer to oversee facility performance and engineering projects. This role involves coordinating design modifications, managing capital projects, and ensuring operational efficiency while maintaining safety and compliance. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and extensive experience in district energy or industrial facilities. Join a forward-thinking team dedicated to optimizing plant performance and contributing to innovative solutions in the energy sector.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering experience in district energy or industrial facilities.
• Strong understanding of steam and water pipe distribution systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate engineering design modifications and manage capital projects.
• Monitor system efficiency and troubleshoot deviations to improve performance.

Skills

Hydraulic Modelling

Process Control Technologies

Quantitative Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

Fiix

Netsuite

GoCanvas

AutoCAD

Microsoft Products

Job description

Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Plant Engineer is responsible for tracking facility and equipment performance parameters, coordinating appropriate testing to determine root cause of problems, providing system and equipment performance testing, engineering capital projects, and recommending appropriate and cost-effective solutions to correct problems and to improve efficiency. This position will also be responsible for carrying out projects associated with the operation, maintenance, or retrofit of the existing assets and engineering/project management for future expansion projects.

• Coordinate engineering design modifications. This includes design, specification writing, and system installation and testing to ensure success of the project.
• Manager for capital projects by coordinating input from engineering and operations, developing scope and cost of work, preparing all necessary project documents, preparing cost justification, working with procurement department for bid preparation documents, preparing project budget and schedule with input from construction, and supporting construction on the installation and testing of the project. Perform periodic forecasting for Capital and Major Maintenance projects.
• Provide engineering analysis, inspections, and support to operations to keep facilities running at their maximum reliability and performance levels while maintaining personnel safety, asset reliability and environmental compliance.
• Monitor system efficiency and identify and troubleshoot deviations from expected values that would improve system performance. Develop and track Key Performance Indicators.
• Make recommendations on reducing operational and maintenance expenses either by improving system design, modifying system practices, or recommending alternate equipment designs.
• Review/Optimize fuel consumption and energy production and update associated efficiency metric
• Provide long range planning for maintenance, repair, and capital improvement projects. Maintain rolling 5-year plans for Capex/Major Maintenance projects. Obtain project approvals and updates via SharePoint and SAP computer-based applications.
• Stay abreast of developments in the district energy industry and recommend modifications or practices that could improve safety, performance, availability and reliability.
• Provide technical leadership in support of equipment commissioning and start-up.
• Compile and analyze operating data, help develop operational plans and make recommendations to optimize plant performance and profitability.
• Assist in the development of various operations and data reports for internal and external distribution.
• Work closely with maintenance staff regarding corrective maintenance, ensuring compliance with industry standards – piping, valves, pumps and heat exchangers, etc.
• Work closely with the O&M staff and contractors, to ensure that maintenance is properly conducted and within periodicity; compile, document, analyze, and record test histories
• Support development of the annual O&M budgets.; assist in the analysis of monthly budget variances.
• Support the establishment and enforcement of safe working conditions and practice safe work habits in all activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited University in an Engineering discipline
• Knowledge of steam and water pipe distribution systems including the ability to perform or manage hydraulic modelling
• A thorough understanding of a variety of process control technologies such as single loop controllers, PLC-based systems, and direct digital control systems. Specific knowledge of Allen Bradley – Rockwell systems, Yokogawa & Rosemount equipment is highly desirable
• Excellent quantitative skills, strong interpersonal skills, clear communication, and teamwork.
• Strong computer skills to include spreadsheets, project management, databases, and word processing software. Examples currently used are Fiix, Netsuite, GoCanvas, AutoCAD, and Microsoft products

Desired Attributes

• More than 5 years of engineering experience in district energy, power, or industrial facilities
• Experience in the design, construction and operations of boilers, engines, and ancillary equipment
• Understanding of local utility tariffs and programs along with their business impact
• Understanding of customer HVAC systems and technologies
• Thorough knowledge of a wide variety of metering technologies and their applications