Principal Fixed Equipment Engineer - Remote

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities, we are able to develop new products from our core technologies and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of our customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution with nine manufacturing facilities worldwide.

Ascend Performance Materials is searching for a Principal Fixed Equipment Engineer to work remotely. The responsibility of the Principal Fixed Equipment Engineer is to improve the performance of the fixed equipment assets across all Ascend sites, build and lead a program which identifies and manages the fixed equipment assets and supporting/surrounding systems reliability risks. The Principal Fixed Equipment Reliability Engineer is responsible for working with manufacturing sites in developing, optimizing and implementing equipment stewardship strategies, premises and programs that will maximize asset value creation, safe equipment operation, and controlled cost of ownership for the various assets supported.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Measurable improvements in unit performance aligned to business financial objectives including raw material usage, energy usage, reliability, capacity, maintainability, and quality.
• Technical support, guidance and expertise on fixed equipment/assets and supporting projects, from front-end engineering through detailed design, costing estimates, fabrication, inspection/validation, installation, commissioning, and maintenance.
• Reliability gaps closure through development and implementation of industry leading reliability principles and programs, and application of cutting-edge reliability technology to improve manufacturing processes and equipment performance to provide competitive advantage
• Support and ownership of the Reliability and/or Productivity continuous improvement pipeline via input of key projects based on equipment bad actors, capital gains, asset life extension, or other approved tasks that will yield positive business impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Providing leadership to establish and drive reliability engineering principles and best work practices and establish equipment performance expectations and overall equipment performance measurements for proactive identification and resolution of reliability issues
• Actively support and assure compliance to all ESSH policies and procedures.
• Apply industry best reliability tools to drive improvements, optimize costs and improve asset effectiveness. Tools may include RCFA, Bad Actor Program, FMEA, etc.
• Optimizing preventative maintenance tasks and activities, identifying gaps and developing a corrective action plan, driving implementation and evaluating improvement performance
• Develop a multi-year reliability improvement plan; lead execution of the plan and monitor progress
• Troubleshoot equipment problems and conduct root cause failure analysis investigations on failed equipment, develop action plan to eliminate repeat failures, and implement corrective actions
• Work with manufacturing and planning teams to identify key areas for reliability improvements, develop action plans, and work to integrate the fixed equipment program with the OEE process to drive higher asset availability.
• Work with sites on major repairs to critical fixed equipment for various production units, often at multiple/concurrent timeframes
• Support capital projects with engineering expertise for specification, design and construction of projects in accordance with plant requirements, Ascend standards and regulatory codes
• Provide technical support to reliability engineers at manufacturing sites on mechanical repairs, troubleshooting problems, and equipment installation issues
• Provide technical support to the Engineering Department on the selection of mechanical equipment based on reliability improvements and industry best practices

TEAM

• Reports to: Sr. Director, Maintenance and Reliability
• Team Members: Maintenance and Reliability organization

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• BS in Mechanical Engineering required
• Minimum 15 years of experience in reliability field in the chemicals, petrochemical or manufacturing industry
• Familiarity with equipment types manufacturers and remaining current on latest enhancements, upgrades, improvements, efficiency gains or other advancements and determining feasibility vs. need of implementation.
• Proven performance leading fixed equipment programs
• Understanding of basic industry standards, recommended practices and/or regulatory conditions/considerations for fixed equipment
• Proven Problem-solving abilities in the office, shop, and field
• Written and verbal communication and a disciplined approach to company standards and procedures are required to facilitate and implement improvements.
• Customer focused to provide quality service and improve equipment and process reliability

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Expert knowledge of fixed equipment including design, application, installation, operation and repair
• Knowledge and understanding of industry best RAGAGEP engineering practices and principles
• Experienced with overhaul and repair practices on pressure vessels, tanks, piping, etc.
• Knowledge and understanding of specialty equipment (e.g. columns, separators, bulk storage silos, etc.)
• Ability to conduct shop inspections and validations, technical guidance and overview, scope of work review and approval for key fixed equipment assets repairs and/or overhauls
• Expert knowledge in the application of predictive technologies, such as ultrasound, eddy current, shear-wave, etc.
• Design and operation of fixed equipment, ability to read and interpret engineering drawing, blueprints and schematics
• Experience in economic justification of alternative solutions, conclusions, and approaches to solving equipment problems
• Ability to review and communicate business economics impact of reliability issues and improvements
• Ability to listen, understand and effectively communicate information and ideas and to express thought and ideas clearly and concisely
• Knowledge and use of SAP software as an effective maintenance management tool for obtaining equipment information, history, costs, etc.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care . We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused . We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day . We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile . We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend . All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.