Engineer, Operations (Carlsbad, NM)

The Operations Engineer ensures safe, reliable, and environmentally compliant operation of the process unit while maintaining product quality and driving continuous improvement. The role provides day-to-day support to Operations, focusing on unit monitoring, troubleshooting, optimization, and reliability improvement. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Monitor operation of process unit daily, including reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs), operating logs, process trends, and quality data to ensure reliable, cost effective, and on-spec operation. • Prepare KPI reports/presentations to communicate the health and reliability of the process unit. • Communicate unit limitations, environmental impacts, and operational constraints to Commercial and other stakeholders. • Identify and resolve operating issues; provide troubleshooting, data analysis, and technical guidance to Operations. • Investigate root cause of failures and provide recommendations to prevent recurring issues/failures. • Organize, lead, and participate in improvement initiatives, projects, and process optimization teams to deliver specific, focused, improvement objectives. • Provide operational insight to support design and implementation of new processes, equipment upgrades, and capital projects. • Track variable costs and identify optimization opportunities to reduce operating expenses. • Provide unit start-up/shutdown support, including developing operational guidelines and estimated schedules. • Support development of operating procedures and assist with Operator training including the development of training material and job aids. • Execute vessel inspections, catalyst/adsorbent loading and unloading, and equipment readiness activities. • Support HAZOPs, PSM activities, and closure of engineering assigned action items. • Assist with Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR) to ensure readiness and compliance. • Support and inform the Environmental/Permitting group of incidents and changes that impact plant permits. • Support environmental emissions event calculations. • Promote a strong safety culture and actively support the development and sharing of process safety best practices. Qualifications The successful candidate meets the following qualifications: • A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering is required. • A minimum of (3) years of experience in a chemical plant environment, or related industry is required. • A minimum of (3) years of experience with production, process, or mechanical troubleshooting and optimization activities is preferred. • Proficiency in basic Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) is required. • Experience with Process Modeling software, such as Hysys or Unisim is preferred. • Must show strong initiative, be self-motivated, work with minimal supervision. Must have excellent communication skills, both verbal and in writing, and be detailed oriented with the ability to handle fast-paced projects with constantly changing priorities and scope. • Must be proficient in balancing multiple priorities and activities and be able to meet deadlines in a timely and accurate manner. • Must demonstrate a proven track record of working in a team environment, possess a strong technical/problem solving aptitude and be data driven. • Ability to solve complex problems by identifying and enrolling appropriate resources is required. • Ability to quickly absorb the key deliverables and maintain focus on critical objectives is required. • Knowledge of DCS and advanced process control systems is preferred.