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Reimagine What’s Possible
Air Products Qudra is a regional development and investment joint venture (JV) between Air Products and Qudra Energy, a subsidiary of Vision Invest. Air Products is a world-leading industrial gases company developing, engineering, building, owning, and operating many of the world's largest industrial gas projects. Vision Invest is a leading development and investment Holding Company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a diversified portfolio of investments across several sectors such as Utility, Infrastructure, Logistics, and Industrial Gases with a global operational investment footprint.
Reporting to the Technical manager, the role of the Engineering Manager is to provide overall technical oversight for the Jubail ASU and HYCO Facility located in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The role is ensuring that all technical issues and improvement opportunities in support of the facility are prioritized, coordinated, and directed to a successful outcome across all the engineering disciplines that support the site. As well as to ensure the smooth and reliable operation and maintenance of all aspects of the plant, with the aim of achieving the highest plant reliability and availability.
The Jubail Facility is an industrial gas facility and the first operation of APQ. It represents a significant investment and includes “State of the Art” technology to achieve the required efficiency and reliability of supply.
The plant consists of:
An Air Separation unit supplying Gaseous Oxygen and Gaseous Nitrogen to a pipeline network in the Jubail area in addition to liquid Oxygen and Nitrogen products for the merchant market.
A Hydrogen facility supplying gaseous product to a hydrogen pipeline network, in addition to a carbon dioxide recapture unit.
Large volumes of Cryogenic Liquid Storage and vaporisation capacity to provide back-up supply.
Significant utility infrastructure including Electrical, Cooling Water, Steam, Condensate and Wastewater.
The customers will be supplied via pipeline and merchant products throughout the Jubail area and Eastern Region. The plants run on a continuous basis and there is a strong emphasis of high reliability and high efficiency with contractual penalties for underperformance.
1. Leadership and Team Management:
- Direct and mentor a diverse team of engineering professionals, including Process Safety Engineers, Plant Process Engineers, Controls Engineers, Pressure Vessels Engineers, Machinery Engineers, and Electrical Engineers.
- Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the engineering department.
- Develop and implement strategies to attract, retain, and develop top engineering talent.
2. Technical Oversight and Process Optimization:
- Provide expert technical guidance for all aspects of the hydrogen production process, including natural gas reforming, shift reaction, pressure swing adsorption, and associated utility systems.
- Lead efforts to optimize plant performance, focusing on efficiency, reliability, and product quality.
- Oversee the development and implementation of process control strategies to enhance plant automation and stability.
3. Project Management and Capital Planning:
- Manage engineering aspects of major capital projects, expansions, and upgrades related to the hydrogen production facility.
- Develop and maintain a long-term capital investment plan to ensure the facility remains at the forefront of technology and efficiency.
- Oversee FEED (Front End Engineering Design) activities for new projects or major modifications.
4. Safety and Compliance:
- Ensure all engineering activities adhere to APQ's safety standards, local regulations, and industry best practices.
- Lead Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and HAZOP studies for new projects and existing processes.
- Collaborate with the Process Safety Engineer to implement and maintain robust process safety management systems.
5. Operational Support and Troubleshooting:
- Provide high-level technical support to operations during critical situations, shutdowns, and startups.
- Lead root cause analysis investigations for significant equipment failures or process upsets.
- Develop and implement strategies to minimize plant downtime and maximize reliability.
6. Innovation and Technology:
- Stay abreast of emerging technologies in hydrogen production and industrial gas applications.
- Evaluate and recommend new technologies or process improvements that could benefit the facility.
- Collaborate with Air Products' global technical resources to leverage best practices and cutting-edge solutions.
7. Stakeholder Management:
- Serve as the primary technical interface with senior management, providing regular updates on engineering initiatives and plant performance.
- Collaborate with other departments (Operations, Maintenance, Quality, HSE) to ensure alignment of engineering activities with overall business objectives.
- Engage with external stakeholders, including technology licensors, equipment vendors, and regulatory bodies as needed.
8. Budget and Resource Management:
- Develop and manage the engineering department's annual budget.
- Optimize resource allocation across various engineering disciplines and projects.
- Evaluate and recommend external engineering services or consultants when required.
Co-ordination of the following key areas:
Overall organization of HAZOPS to support facility changes.
Ensure that the plants are maintained in a safe and serviceable condition so that they can consistently attain the requirements and achieve contracted availability.
Ensuring that the correct spare parts are specified and requisitioned.
Support the onsite Maintenance team, ensuring all site breakdowns are repaired and completed in a timely/prioritized manner.
Manage the document control on-site to ensure each discipline manages and controls site documentation in a consistent manner.
Witness and document the performance of the ASU and HYCO plants during the performance test. The Engineering Manager is responsible for ensuring detailed test plans are developed pre-performance test and reviewed to ensure safety, operational, and reliability risks are understood and strategies are put in place to manage these risks.
Coordinate APQ Technical resources with off-site resources as appropriate. This would include Air Products technical resources through the Technical Support Agreement, other OEM or specialist vendors, contractors, and engineering companies.
Develop and implement plant and equipment performance monitoring processes. Coordinate technical data collection in consultation with the various technical disciplines to ensure full and adequate data is input into the systems. Develop and monitor performance metrics consistent with APQ’s O&M philosophy requirements, including Optimizing Power and Utility Consumption.
Ensure relevant Best Practices are implemented as shared by Air Products.
Provide a focal point for operational issues outside the maintenance area.
Approve engineering drawings, procedures, standards, and specifications.
1. Strategic Thinker: Ability to see the big picture and develop long-term plans for the engineering department and facility.
2. Innovative Problem-Solver: Creative approach to technical challenges with a drive to find novel solutions.
3. Strong Leadership: Capable of inspiring and motivating a diverse team of engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
4. Adaptability: Flexible in approach and able to navigate changing priorities in a dynamic industry environment.
5. Emotional Intelligence: Skilled at managing relationships, reading group dynamics, and navigating complex interpersonal situations.
6. Decisiveness: Confident in making tough decisions, often with incomplete information, and taking responsibility for outcomes.
7. Ethical Integrity: Unwavering commitment to safety, environmental responsibility, and ethical business practices.
8. Collaborative: Able to work effectively across departments and with external stakeholders, building strong professional relationships.
9. Resilience: Capacity to maintain composure and effectiveness under pressure, especially during plant upsets or critical situations.
10. Curiosity and Continuous Learning: Passionate about staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies in hydrogen production and industrial gases.
11. Detail-Oriented: Meticulous attention to detail, particularly in technical specifications and safety protocols, while maintaining a broad perspective.
12. Communication Excellence: Exceptional ability to convey complex technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
13. Cultural Sensitivity: Respect for and ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment, particularly important in the Saudi Arabian context.
14. Results-Driven: Strong focus on achieving tangible outcomes and meeting or exceeding performance targets.
15. Mentorship Mindset: Committed to developing talent and helping team members grow professionally.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Typically Chemical, Mechanical or Electrical), advanced degree preferred.
Minimum 15 years in large complex facilities in the area of industrial gas, power generation, oil and gas, petrochemical, or related industries, with at least 5 years in leadership roles within the industrial gas or petrochemical industry. Engineering design experience preferred.
Demonstrated experience in a similar role leading cross- functional technical / engineering teams.
Deep technical knowledge of Syngas production processes, particularly steam methane reforming and related technologies.
A good technical understanding in each of the engineering disciplines such that you can make active contribution is guiding and coordinating these functions.
Demonstrated track record of effective development, evaluation, and implementation of solutions to complex problems in an on-site operations environment.
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic APQ planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques.
Proven Leadership and man-management ability.
A track record in which strong technical and practical engineering skills have been demonstrated.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
Fluent oral English and excellent written English, knowledge of Arabic will be an advantage.
Familiarity with Saudi Arabian regulations and standards in the industrial gas sector is highly desirable.
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.
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