What Does A Chemical Process Engineer Do?

WHAT DOES A CHEMICAL PROCESS ENGINEER DO?

The Chemical Process Engineer designs and oversees pilot plant testing plans, executes tests, analyzes results, and formulates programs for both pre-functional and functional campaigns. This role involves developing process improvements, authoring standard operating procedures, and solving plant/process issues while ensuring adherence to safety and environmental codes. Additionally, the engineer communicates findings to clients, leads teams effectively, and promotes high safety standards throughout all operations.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Chemical Process Engineer

1. Chemical Process Engineer Details

Chemical Research and Process Control: Utilize chemical principles to develop and conduct research studies to lead process control, process improvements and cost reduction in acid leaching operations and neutralization for silica products.
High-Temperature Materials Process Control: Utilize chemical principles to lead process control, process improvements and cost reductions for high temperature and chemical vapor infiltration of carbon/carbon-based materials.
Production Improvement Leadership: Lead production improvements and failure investigations using structured problem-solving with peers, shop floor and customers.
Process Data Analysis: Collect and assess process data to document and statistically control production operations and process development.
Manufacturing Specifications Analysis: Analyze customer’s specifications and P.O requirements for implementation into the manufacturing process.
Operations and Engineering Support: Work order instructions and provide technical support for/lead engineering efforts with the Operations team and the customers.
Production Standardization Writing: Write shop floor work instructions and procedures with sufficient detail and simplicity to standardize production process performance.
Communications Management: Appropriate written and oral communications with the shop floor, peers, superiors and customers to express status, improvements and concepts.
Technical Presentations Delivery: Give technical presentations to staff and customers.
Fabrication Strategy Preparation: Prepare fabrication strategy and instructions with detailed illustrations.
Manufacturing Process Design: Prescribe a logical sequence of action in clear and concise language that can be used by the Manufacturing personnel for production to meet internal and external specification requirements.
Manufacturing Process Assistance: Assist supervisory and production personnel through new manufacturing processes and help in evaluating progress.

2. Senior Chemical Process Engineer Responsibilities

Data Management: Responsible for the organization, collection, analysis, and presentation of process and materials data.
Quality Assurance: Ensure robust, quality processes through statistical process control throughout the production facility.
Engineering Interface: Serve as the engineering interface with the software group.
Systems Design Leadership: Lead interface for the design and implementation of control systems throughout the production facility.
Standards Development: Lead the setting of data structure and control system standards for the current production facility and tools in the next production facility.
Process Engineering: Act as hands-on lead engineer on specific processes to design, develop, implement, and validate production methods optimized for safety, quality, cost, and material performance.
Safety Management: Lead safety reviews and the design of safety control schemes.
Equipment Qualification: Research, recommend, and qualify capital equipment.
Experimental Execution: Plan and execute experiments and perform process calculations.
Technical Documentation: Produce clear and detailed design documents.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Synthesize input from Engineering, Quality Assurance Engineering, product management, customer support, systems engineers, and customers.
Manufacturing Implementation: Follow a manufacturing layout plan to implement into work instructions for manufacturing.
Process Optimization: Assist in meeting production ramps on specific processes by sustaining and evolving processes for which the primary responsibility.
Production Planning: Develop and maintain robust production planning to ensure reliable delivery of products.

3. Chemical Process Engineer Job Summary

Process Selection and Improvement: Work closely with the staff to select the most appropriate process improvement techniques.
Process Troubleshooting: Analyze and troubleshoot process problems to make continuous and permanent improvements.
Strategy Development: Develop and implement process improvement strategies.
Validation Strategy Development: Develop and implement process and equipment validation strategies.
Process Optimization: Evaluate current processes and provide recommendations to optimize them to meet all customer and internal requirements.
Resource Management: Identify and manage resources to execute process improvement projects.
Process Innovation: Develop new processes for high efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Project Prioritization: Prioritize and develop projects based on critical needs.
Team Collaboration: Work with a multi-functional team to achieve project goals.
Document Maintenance: Develop and maintain process-related documents.
Innovation Recommendation: Recommend new ideas and techniques to ensure project success.
Process Design and Implementation: Perform process design, development, and implementation of new products and capital projects.
Risk Analysis: Perform product and process hazard/risk analysis.

4. Chemical Process Engineer Accountabilities

Technical Application: Applies technical principles, theories, and concepts.
Advanced Process Engineering: Apply advanced process engineering tools.
Technical Solutions Provision: Provides technical solutions to a wide range of difficult problems in various areas (e.g., HSES, Quality, Reliability, Cost Savings, etc.)
Project Planning and Conduct: Plans and conducts assignments generally involving larger and more important projects.
Complex Issue Resolution: Able to solve complex operating issues through collaboration with peers, and the assistance of direct reports or next management.
Project Improvement Leadership: Leads small to intermediate project improvement teams.
Project Scope and Objective Definition: Defines the scope and objectives of projects based on operational needs.
Mentoring and Evaluation: Provide mentoring to junior engineers and evaluate their work.
Project Scope, Budget, and Timeline Determination: Determine the scope, budget, and timeline of projects, understand the profitability impact of projects and manage accordingly.
Financial Results Responsibility: Responsible for the financial results of assigned projects in functional areas and influenced others to do the same.
Engineering Representation: Engineering representative on the Material Review Board to disposition discrepant materials.
Corrective Action Leadership: Formulate, lead, and implement corrective action plans.
Database Input for Purchasing: Inputting part numbers and Bills of Materials into an internal database for purchasing purposes.

5. Chemical Process Engineer Functions

Customer Requirements Identification: Take responsibility for identifying customer requirements.
Design Specification Reading/Writing: Read/write design specifications and drawings.
Requirements Analysis and Calculation: Analyze requirements and calculate the correct processes and parameters to achieve them.
Solution Research and Estimation: Research suitable solutions and estimate costs and timescales.
Process and System Design: Design chemical, biochemical, and physical processes and systems.
Standard Compliance: Work to British (BS), European (EN), North American, and other standards.
Document Control with Autodesk Vault: Make proper use of the Autodesk Vault version control system for storing documents and files.
Safety and Risk Participation: Participate in HAZID, HAZOP, and DSEAR efforts for new designs and changes to existing designs.
Manufacturing and Assembly Support: Support assembly and manufacturing of equipment at partner facilities and other locations in the future.
Technical and Operational Support: Provide technical and operational support to colleagues, sales agents, and clients during and after the sales process.
Grant and Tender Contribution: Contribute to the preparation of grant proposals and tender request responses.

6. Chemical Process Engineer Job Description

Process Leadership: Technical lead for multiple powder coating processes with experience in increasing production rates with high-quality standards
Strategy Dissemination: Dissemination of technical information to drive actionable business strategies
Statistical Control Implementation: Implement Statistical Process Control and establish new company standards
Maintenance Execution: Execute preventive maintenance strategies to increase production uptime
Layout Optimization: Create department and equipment layouts, optimizing efficiency and reducing waste
Quality Improvement: Drive process improvements and product quality based on statistical analysis
Decision Making: Make key decisions to keep projects on schedule
Resource Determination: Determine parts, tools, and equipment needed to achieve manufacturing goals
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work cross-functionally to identify problems and recommend solutions
Project Management: Manages multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
Test and Resource Planning: Determine test procedures, manpower requirements, equipment, tooling, schedules, and overall cost.
Supervision and Reporting: Supervise work performed, summarize results, and prepare reports
Equipment and Layout Specification: Work with production and maintenance personnel to specify new or upgraded equipment, process flow, and shop floor layout.

7. Chemical Process Engineer Overview

Process Development Skill: Develop and maintain processes for new, clean-label, innovative functional food ingredients
Project Leadership Skill: Lead innovation and development projects to support WTI’s strategic growth areas
Process Testing Skill: Test new processes and process improvements
Data Collection Skill: Collect data required to make improvements and modifications
Improvement Opportunity Skill: Keenly capture any opportunity for product process improvement
Problem-Solving Skill: Investigate and troubleshoot plant/process problems
Production Strengthening Skill: Strengthen production by contributing innovative ideas, expertise, knowledge, high professional standards, team spirit and pride in the Company
Technology Transfer Skill: Ensure a smooth transition of technology transfer from pilot scale to full production
Technology Exploration Skill: Explore new technologies and materials, which may have applications for product lines
Financial Evaluation Skill: Evaluate the financial impact of formulating, sourcing, or manufacturing issues related to assigned projects
Technical Solutions Skill: Effectively and quickly provide technical solutions when process issues occur
Training Enhancement Skill: Effectively enhance the production team's troubleshooting capability through a reliable training program and practices
Production Review Skill: Regularly review and provide recommendations on standardization and improvement of line capacity
Vendor Assessment Skill: Closely work with a cross-functional team to assess and qualify new raw material vendors and tollers

8. Chemical Process Engineer Details and Accountabilities

Process Analysis: Analyzing manufacturing process flows continually for the enhancements of quality, reliability, cycle time, cost reduction, and yield.
KPI Development and Tracking: Develop and track improvement in planned KPIs (first pass, downtime, performance).
Quality Investigation: Investigate production/performance quality issues and customer complaints to identify root causes and implement appropriate corrective actions.
Process Improvement: Work with the production units to identify and implement process improvements in areas such as material movement, logistics, and workflow.
Technical Support: Support the production department in troubleshooting and resolving technical problems.
Product Scale-up Assistance: Assist in product scale-up and new product introduction in the manufacturing unit.
Equipment Design Assistance: Assist with design construction and start-up of new or upgraded equipment.
Project Leadership: Lead the implementation of small capital projects.
Materials Ordering: Ordering of maintenance and production materials.
Maintenance Coordination: Coordinate necessary maintenance activities in the production area and ensure PMs are completed timely.
Quality Control Monitoring: Monitoring product standards and implementing quality-control programs.
Change Management: Coordinate, set, implement and maintain management of change documentation and standard operating procedures for all operations.
Process Efficiency Coordination: Coordinate and monitor day-to-day operator activities to maximize process efficiency, minimize raw material unloading delays, minimize rework, and ensure on-time shipments to customers and production schedules.

9. Chemical Process Engineer Roles

Process and Mechanical Engineering Skills: Process Engineer with a Mechanical or Chemical Engineering background.
Project and System Design Skills: Work on piping, pump, and heat transfer projects, piping isometrics, PandIDs, PFDs, pump analysis, piping analysis, specifications, pipe stress analysis, heat exchanger, and equipment selection.
Client and Team Leadership Skills: Involved with engineering estimates, construction costs, interfacing with clients, and leading designers and drafters.
Safety and Efficiency Skills: Safely and efficiently manufacture a diverse range of products.
Compliance and Project Management Skills: Execute work in a safe, lawful, and environmentally responsible way.
Process Improvement and Quality Control Skills: Improve manufacturing process capability and cost while maintaining or improving quality and safety standards.
Leadership and Continuous Improvement Skills: Provide a leadership role for continuous improvement throughout the plant by developing and implementing systems and solutions that optimize all phases of the production process.
Production and Cost Optimization Skills: Work with equipment designers and plant personnel to develop cost-effective and working production processes and systems.
Employee Development and Mentoring Skills: Develop fellow employees by coaching/mentoring in approach to problem diagnosis and resolution.
Communication and Organization Skills: Effectively organize and communicate information and results to the Plant.

10. Chemical Process Engineer Role Purpose

Pilot Plant Testing Plan Development: Develop pilot plant testing plans, help execute the test plans, write test reports and formulate pre-functional and functional campaign programs.
Process Oversight in Chemical Manufacturing: Oversee the process development and pilot plant testing of a chemical manufacturing process.
Pilot Plant Process Improvement: Contribute to improving pilot plant testing processes and creating best operating practices.
Technical Analysis in Pilot Operations: Perform technical analysis necessary to interpret pilot plant operation.
Pilot Plant Evaluation and Knowledge Transfer: Evaluate pilot plant test campaigns and transfer the knowledge developed to commercial plant design and operation.
Operational SOPs and Troubleshooting: Write operational SOPs and investigate and troubleshoot plant/process problems.
Mass and Energy Balance Development: Assist in developing mass and energy balances.
Stakeholder Communication: Communicate to a wide range of client stakeholders.
Team Leadership: Work effectively as a team leader.
Safety and Environmental Compliance: Ensure adherence to environmental and safety codes as per industry standards and follow best practices and procedures.
Safety Standards Promotion: Safely conduct work and encourage others to apply high safety standards.