Plant Process Engineer

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POSITION SUMMARY

This position will provide technical support to ongoing plant operations, projects from development to start up, and will lead asset management/productivity initiatives for all the BHIG  Facilities in the Region through the coordination of the activities from the process/production engineers & operations teams stationed at plants. The position may also support other Air Products / BHIG operations teams in providing similar services to Air Products joint ventures, sale of equipment and potential new customers in the Region. The primary focus for this position will be HYCO ( Steam Methane Reformer) Technology, however may include other technologies based on the candidates expertise.

Job incumbent is to be located in our KSA Daharan Technology Center or the Jubail offices/site, however is expected that about 30-40% regional [and some global] travel will be required. 

Nature & Scope

• The Plant Process Engineer, reporting to the BHIG Engineering Supervisor, provides day to day operation & technical support to the Regional Sites through daily monitoring to ensure production and efficiency targets are being achieved safely. The role identifies productivity ideas, develops projects and supports the project execution team for the facilities in the Region. The facilities range across multiple technologies such as Air Separation (ASU), Hydrogen (HYCO), and CO2 production. The role may support other Air Products / BHIG plant support teams in providing similar services to our joint venture partners, sale of equipment and new customers.
• This position interfaces with Air Products global, regional, and local process/production engineers, Regional Operations team members, project and design engineering teams, safety and other technical support personnel in the execution of the responsibilities of this position.  The position will help implement the necessary systems and measures to support BHIG’s Middle East Operations requirements, technical standards, quality processes, and plant and equipment maintenance.
• The incumbent will work to coordinate and utilize in the most effective manner the available operating and technical resources available globally to support the existing operations as well as new installations or modifications led by BHIG Project Engineering or the Air Products Global Engineering & Manufacturing Organization.  The position will help drive consistency in Air Products global operations within BHIG across all countries in the Middle East Region.  
• The incumbent will help drive improvement of the operations productivity, reliability, quality, process safety, and cost effectiveness of the plants the region. BHIG’s systems, tools and methods (ex. Continuous Improvement techniques) will be used where feasible in order to achieve performance results and global consistency.  This position will be responsible for leading the Asset Management activities within the plants in the Middle East Region to achieve annual productivity gains and help to ensure ideas are effectively transferred to the other applicable operations within BHIG’s organization in the region. Developing and keeping track of plant performance and reliability KPI will be a part of the position.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSBILITIES

Safety

• Maintain a safe work environment. Demonstrate leadership with all company & industry safe work processes to prevent all injuries. Ensure proper documentation is maintained for safety related activities.
• Ensure proper process safety work practices are understood and are being used in the plants.

Technical:

• Lead and provide technical support services in the new installation, existing plant modifications, on-going operations, and continuous improvement and maintenance activities for the facilities in the Region. Ensure the activities related meet legal requirements and comply with BHIG’s safety and technical standards.
• Provide Technical Support to other support teams in region for new installations, existing plant modifications, on-going operations, and continuous improvement and maintenance activities for Air Products joint ventures, sale of equipment and potential new customers in the Region.  The support will be provided by either onsite visits, phone support, or from the Process Intelligence Center via mentored monitoring capabilities.
• Provide technical support and safety leadership for MOC’s, OPHR’s, and other safety related initiatives in order to drive process safety compliance. Consult BHIG and Air Products process safety personnel as required for additional technical support.
• Provide technical support to ensure the safe and reliable operation of equipment, processes, utilities, and controls is achieved.
• Provide process engineering leadership to drive asset performance, reducing operating costs or increasing plant throughput, by supporting the following efforts: troubleshooting, plant efficiency, process safety, equipment reliability, advanced controls, asset management and productivity project identification, development, and execution support.
• Facilitate attainment of operations excellence via continuous improvement in plant productivity, reliability, quality, and cost reduction.   Lead ongoing improvements and ensure best practices are implemented using tools such CI Techniques and Asset Management initiatives. 
• Provide technical leadership in supporting/leading investigations and Root Cause Analysis in order to identify & implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Provide technical support for Advanced Controls initiatives
• Monitor plant production daily, driving asset performance & ensuring daily targets are met to achieve maximum profitable.

Operations

• Ensure the safety of all operations personnel by utilizing the BHIG Basic Safety Practice program, which includes Safety Work Permits, LOTO, Confined Space, etc.  The position provides technical support for executing, organizing, and auditing the safety systems, to build the BHIG safety culture into the MEET organization.
• Provide process engineering support to operations in order to effectively operate the SMR (steam methane reformer) primarily, and may assist with the ASU, and CO2 facilities in Region to meet the customer’s satisfaction on safety, reliability, product quality, and flexibility of product supply while in compliance of contractual requirements.
• Insure BHIG’s standards, Air products global best practices for EH&S, productivity, reliability, quality, and overall customer services are met
• Ensure the Middle East facilities are operated not to exceed Environmental and Regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical guidance, working with the commissioning team, assisting in the commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting activities.
  • Participate in the training of the Operations team up to plant commissioning
  • Assist Operations in maintaining accurate document control and monitor quality assurance initiatives.
• Participate in developing the month end close model and ensure alignment with commercial obligations for the BHIG Middle East Commercial Area.
• Support & maintain close working relationships with engineering and maintenance personnel to continuously monitor & evaluate plant systems & equipment through a Plant Process Advisory Model.
• Support the Process Intelligence Center (PIC) initiatives as required such as: plant monitoring & troubleshooting, plant simulation training sessions, plant modeling initiatives, and plant efficiency monitoring where applicable.
• Maintain alignment with the Operations Plant Managers, Site Leadership and the Business Area to align with asset management opportunities and commercial priorities
• Provide technical support for turnarounds.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering with 8 + years’ experience in Engineering and/ or Operations in a technical role Experience and knowledge in the technology, design, and operation of Steam Methane Reformers (HYCO) required.  Knowledge in Air Separation and CO2 production systems a plus.  Individual technology skillsets will be entertained, however multiple technology skillsets preferred. Start-up, commissioning or plant operating experience an advantage Experience with ASPEN software and associated modules a plus. Demonstrated engineering and technical capabilities & skills. Knowledgeable in process safety, health, and local environmental requirements. A strong commitment to employee involvement, team building and diversity. Able to communicate between management, operations, maintenance, and customers within and across regions. Proficiency in English speaking and writing, Arabic language skills is a plus. Demonstrated leadership, organizational, computer and interpersonal skills combined with good communications skills (written and verbal) in English a must.   A personal commitment to continuous self-development and flexibility to work outside normal working hours to meet commitments. Excellent influencing skills are a major requirement for the job holder. Possess critical thinking skills and has the ability to build trust and confidence with frontline workers, supervisors and management. Strong problem solving and analytical skills are a pre-requisite Confident and assertive with self-motivated approach and influence attitude. A personal commitment to corporate values & objectives and towards a culture of continuous improvement. Formal training and experience with six sigma processes and continuous improvement tools a plus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Quality encompasses all aspects of BHIG’s business, and every employee shares the responsibility to prevent the occurrence of any nonconformity relating to product, process and the quality system.  All employees have an obligation to identify and record any such nonconformity, and through designed channels, initiate and recommend solutions.

We are the world’s largest hydrogen producer with over 80 years of industrial gas experience. We are hydrogen and industrial gas experts delivering safe, end-to-end solutions, investing in real, clean energy projects at scale, and driving the industry forward to generate a cleaner future. 

At Air Products, we work in an environment where we put safety first, diversity is essential, inclusion is our culture, and each person knows they belong and matter. To learn more, visit About Air Products.