Lead Pressure Vessel & Piping Engineer

Messer Americas

$118K — $157K *
Energy & Utilities
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Chemical Engineering or related field; advanced degree preferred
  • 7-15 years of experience in process piping and pressure vessel engineering
  • Experience with cryogenic systems and industrial gases
  • In-depth knowledge of applicable industry codes (ASME B31.3, ASME BPVC, CGA)
  • Proficiency in engineering analysis and design software (e.g., Compress, CAESAR II)
  • Ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to diverse stakeholder groups
  • Fluent in English; knowledge of additional languages is a plus

Responsibilities

  • Provide technical leadership for pressure vessel and piping engineering on capital projects
  • Resolve complex technical issues related to design and compliance
  • Establish engineering design criteria and review project impacts
  • Lead design, specification, and optimization of mechanical systems
  • Supervise engineering contractors and review their work for quality
  • Develop and enforce QA/QC programs for piping and vessel projects
  • Conduct risk assessments and lead safety reviews during project execution

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • Life insurance and paid time off
  • 401(k) plan with company matching
  • Participation in a bonus program
Full Job Description
Job Summary:

  1. The purpose of the Lead Pressure Vessel and Piping Engineer is provide technical expertise within Messer's Project Execution department regarding various forms of plant static equipment including design, specification, fabrication, repair, operation and code compliance across various technologies such as cryogenic air separation, hydrogen production and CO2 purification/liquefaction. Since every single plant project requires process piping and pressure vessels, the engineer will be involved in some capacity with a wide variety of projects with a large range of technical complexity.
  2. This position will primarily provide value to the organization by executing deliverables for capital projects, providing preliminary equipment design/cost bases to the proposals group, supporting operations team for mechanical integrity issues and interfacing with other engineering disciplines as required.

Principal Responsibilities:

1. Discipline Technical Expertise
  1. Serve as the lead technical authority for pressure vessel and piping engineering across multiple concurrent capital projects, providing technical guidance to project manager, engineering counterparts and suppliers regarding static equipment design, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and operation.
  2. Act as the discipline escalation point for complex technical issues, code interpretations, equipment failures, and field deviations
  3. Engineering and Design of Capital Projects
  4. Establish engineering design criteria and technical requirements for major projects. Support project teams in evaluating technical, schedule, and cost impacts associated with design decisions and project changes.
  5. Lead the design, specification, selection, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization of process piping and pressure vessel systems.
  6. Review and approve engineering deliverables including calculations, specifications, datasheets, stress analyses, vessel designs, inspection reports, and engineering deviations from 3rd parties and vendors
  7. Contractor and Vendor Leadership
  8. Provide oversight of engineering contractor organizations supporting Messer projects, including review and approval of designs, calculations, specifications, schedules, procedures, and quality documentation.
  9. Conduct critical supplier audits and technical capability assessments for strategic equipment vendors.
  10. Lead factory acceptance testing activities for critical static equipment and provide technical acceptance recommendations.
  11. Quality and Compliance Governance
  12. Develop, maintain QA/QC program, inspection requirements, and engineering best practices related to piping and pressure vessels.
  13. Ensure compliance with applicable industry standards and codes including ASME B31.3, ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, CGA requirements, and Messer engineering standards.
  14. Process Safety and Risk Management
  15. Serve as lead pressure vessel and piping representative during HAZOPs, risk assessments, PHRs, MOCs, and incident investigations. Lead resolution of discipline-related safety findings and risk mitigation actions.
  16. Provide technical recommendations regarding mechanical integrity, fitness-for-service, equipment life extension, and code compliance concerns.
  17. Continuous Improvement
  18. Develop, maintain, and update Messer pressure vessel and piping specifications, engineering standards, standard drawings, and best-practice documents.
  19. Identify opportunities to lower cost and improve productivity, reliability and safety through emerging technologies, engineering tools, fabrication methods, equipment solutions and standardization.
  20. Technical Mentoring and Knowledge Development
  21. Mentor and provide technical coaching to engineers within the pressure vessel and piping discipline.
  22. Support discipline competency development through training, technical workshops, lessons learned sessions, and engineering reviews.

Required Skills:
• Experience with industrial gases, cryogenic systems, air separation plants and chemical plants for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction
  • Broad knowledge of static equipment such as storage vessels, heat exchangers, and process piping systems
  • Knowledge of the design and operation of cryogenic cold boxes, pre-purification systems, and cryogenic liquid bulk tanks is required
  • Deep understanding of cutting, welding, brazing and related thermal processes used for piping and vessel fabrication as well as NDE techniques
  • Well versed in applicable industry codes and standards such as ASME B31.3, ASME BPVC, CGA and participate in code conferences as a representative of Messer
  1. Ability to think logically through complex technical issues and clearly document ideas, processes and conclusions
  2. Ability to read, interpret and comprehend the following engineering documents:
  3. P&ID
  4. Piping Isometric and Orthographic Drawings
  5. Fabrication Drawings
  6. Site layout and civil plan drawings
  7. Pressure vessel MAWP/wall thickness calculations
  8. Ability to use 2D drafting programs (such as Autocad) and 3D CAD programs (such as Solidworks, CATIA, or Fusion360) to generate or inspect designs
  9. Ability to use pressure vessel design software (such as Compress, or PV Elite) to generate designs
  10. Ability to use pipe stress analysis software (such as CAESAR II, AutoPipe, or CAEPIPE) to analyze spools
  11. Ability to work safely in confined spaces (such as inside of tanks) and at heights
  12. Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) is required; knowledge of VBA is a plus
  13. Ability to speak, read and write English is required
  14. Ability to speak, read and write any of the following languages are a plus
  15. German
  16. Chinese (Mandarin)
  17. Spanish
  18. French

Interpersonal Skills:
  1. Strong collaboration with all engineering disciplines, internal resources, and external parties while displaying Messer core values
  2. Ability to communicate technical ideas effectively through digital, written and verbal language to stakeholders in Project Execution, Operations and Business development


Basic Qualifications:
• Bachelor of Science/Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science/Metallurgical Engineering or related discipline. A graduate degree is not required, but considered a plus.
  • Minimum of 7-15 years relevant experience with process piping and/or pressure vessel engineering including design, fabrication, testing and commissioning.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Professional Engineering (P.E.) license is a plus
  • Knowledge of relevant industry practices such as oxygen level cleaning, and safety best practices is a plus
  • API certifications are a plus
  • Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) or other NDE certifications are a plus


The salary range for this position is $118,000 - $157,000. Messer provides medical, dental, vision, short term disability, life insurance and paid time off as well as other voluntary benefits, such as, long term disability in accordance with the terms and conditions of these Plans. Employees are eligible to enroll in Messer's 401(k) Plan. Employees may be eligible to participate in the company's bonus program.

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