Wastewater & Recycling Process Engineer II

First Solar Inc.; Ohio; On-site; USD 69,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

First Solar Inc. is seeking an experienced engineer to monitor and improve process operations and equipment at the PGT site, focusing on recycling, process water and wastewater.

You will oversee contractors, ensure safety/environmental compliance, and drive process design improvements across all project phases. Responsibilities include startup of new processes, vendor coordination, and capital budgeting support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s engineering degree with 3-5 years’ experience in chemical process improvements.
• Experience in managing consultants, vendors, and contractors in chemical processes design upgrades.
• Material handling systems design, piping design and process control design experience.
• Managing plant equipment preventive maintenance programs.
• New plant start-up, process troubleshooting & hazardous material handling experience.
• Project management for chemical processes and/or mechanical systems, including managing scope, schedule, and cost.

Responsibilities

• Develop, evaluate & implement novel approaches to continuously improve water, wastewater & recycling plant processes to support solar panel manufacturing operations.
• Conduct plant process material balance studies & develop techniques to improve recovery rates of precious metals and to reduce Cd emissions in the effluent streams.
• Conduct process effluent stream sampling and process water consumption studies to support waste minimization & overall water consumption reduction projects.
• Lead to troubleshoot chemical process problems and implement corrective actions to improve process efficiency, product quality and to reduce the overall plant operating cost.
• Monitor and improve equipment up-time by managing equipment preventive maintenance program.
• Responsible for developing engineering process design specification package for vendor selection, construction project planning and oversight of recycling & wastewater projects.
• Work with purchasing to establish acceptable technical terms and conditions for global recycling & water treatment equipment and projects.
• Assist management to develop capital budgets and coordinate project activities, to ensure that all project deliverables are met on time and within budget.
• Work with site & corporate team to ensure that all safety & compliance goals are met.
• Lead startup of new processes and/or process modifications at existing/new plants sites.
• Develop new process operating procedures & train operations crew members including night shifts.
• Creating effective communications to foster team building.
• Strict adherence to all safety procedures and good housekeeping standards.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.

Skills

Process drawings

Statistical analysis

Idea-to-implementation

Project management

Coordination with vendors

Startup & commissioning

Mechanical & controls aptitude

MS Office & AutoCAD

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

MS Project

MS Excel

MS Word

MS Access

Job description

First Solar Inc. is seeking an experienced engineer to monitor and improve process operations and equipment at the PGT site, focusing on recycling, process water and wastewater.

You will oversee contractors, ensure safety/environmental compliance, and drive process design improvements across all project phases. Responsibilities include startup of new processes, vendor coordination, and capital budgeting support.