Pilot Plant Lead Engineer
The Pilot Plant Lead Engineer will contribute to a range of operation, project and maintenance activities at Joule's pilot facility in Leander, Texas. The Lead Engineer will directly supervise the group of technicians responsible for executing various functions, including interfacing with computer control systems according to standard operating procedures and batch protocol. The Lead Engineer will be responsible for the faithful execution of all batch runs according to batch instructions, and will be the first key contact and triage point when technicians encounter production problems. The Lead Engineer will also be responsible for the technical support of on-going operations, executing projects related to improved plant operations and tech transfer for new processes/equipment, maintaining and troubleshooting existing process equipment, providing recommendations on methods to optimize process performance and/or operability, and developing/executing preventative maintenance protocols.
Responsibilities
• Supervise day-to-day activities of pilot plant technicians and manage their shift assignments
• Partner with bioprocessing engineers to understand the purpose and goals of each pilot plant run, and to provide an assessment of pilot plant and technician personnel capabilities for executing each run
• Establish the run schedule with bioprocessing engineers and the Pilot Plant Manager
• Suggest improvements for increased efficiency and productivity of the pilot plant operation and performance
• Ensure technicians are trained on the current versions of all relevant pilot plant safety and standard operating procedures
• Act as an in-plant technical resource for executing and trouble-shooting pilot plant experiments
• Plan and execute small-scale laboratory experiments as part of root-cause analysis for troubleshooting pilot scale runs
• Have responsibility for utility and process support equipment at the facility including water softeners, air compressor, boiler, wastewater treatment, chiller, pumps, autoclave, etc.
• Manage execution of small to mid-size projects at the site: develop scope of work, identify vendors/contractors, obtain bid/quotes, and oversee work
• Develop and conduct preventative maintenance procedures and spare parts inventory for utility and process
• Maintain documentation including process and instrumentation diagrams (PIDs), equipment lists, instrument lists, etc.
• Ensure all standard operating procedures are faithfully executed according to the batch protocol, and that all data is recorded in the run summary sheets
• Respond to collected data and process upsets, triage the available information and work with technicians, bioprocessing engineers and the Pilot Plant Manager for next action
• Ensure all deviations in operation from intended performance are recorded
• Ensure a safe work environment is maintained
Qualifications
The position requires a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and 5+ years of experience, or a Master's degree and 2+ years of experience. Candidates should be very hands-on with a solid biochemical or chemical engineering background, good mechanical aptitude, and the ability to function as both an individual and group contributor. The role requires engineering, project and task management, construction oversight, as well as contractor/supplier relations skills. Effective verbal and written communication skills are prerequisite given the need to continually exchange information with a variety of groups within the company. The ideal candidate is someone who develops new ideas, has the ability to learn quickly and is excited by technical challenges and aggressive timelines.