Senior Process Development Engineer

Indianapolis Plant, IN

Company Overview

Vertellus is a dynamic global company, with more than a century of leadership in the manufacture of health, agriculture, and performance chemicals. Our company is also a leading provider in the world of specialty chemicals for agriculture, nutrition, pharmaceutical, fine chemicals, medical, personal care, plastics, coatings, and many other industrial markets. Our products are in the things you use every day - toothpaste, deodorants, vitamins, pharmaceuticals, detergents, plastics, adhesives, inks, tires and more. Our culture is built on mutual trust and respect for all employees so that we can focus on providing the best products and solutions to our customers.

At Vertellus we hold ourselves and each other Accountable for Delivering Results with a Bias for Action while always acting with the utmost integrity, this is truly what it means to be a Vertellus employee. We take great pride in displaying our Core Values through our work and our teams.

Job Summary

As a member of the global Vertellus Process Engineering Team, the Senior Process Development Engineer is responsible for executing business unit driven process development programs using practical application of fundamental engineering principles. This role offers a new mindset for the development, design, and introduction of new chemical processes from the lab through to full-scale manufacture of new and existing products provides ongoing technical support for existing businesses including the improvement and optimization of chemical processes.

Role and Responsibilities

Role Specific Responsibilities

• Defines leads, and executes process research and development programs to generate process data, optimize and de-risk process technology and generate customer samples
• Incorporates commercial drivers into project objectives to target both commercial and technical success
• Develops appropriate engineering models to improve scale-up and operation of Vertellus technologies and to secure Vertellus process knowledge
• Delivers new technology Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) to the project team and support execution of the project for implementation at the pilot and commercial scale
• Works collaboratively with scientists and engineers at all Vertellus locations
• Partners with external consultants, vendors, and other entities to efficiently execute programs as needed
• Sizes and specifies new process equipment and re-rates existing equipment for new capacities or services
• Works with plant operating personnel to troubleshoot plant operation issues, especially when associated with project implementations
• Works with project/site engineering and operations to implement process improvement projects
• Develops front end design package and assists in the detailed engineering, commissioning, and start-up of new operations
• Applies engineering principles and analyses to improve chemical processes or solves manufacturing problems, with special emphasis on process control
• Performs additional duties as assigned

Problem Solving and Innovation

• Active participation within continuous improvement activities
• Participates in problem-solving
• Takes responsibility and ownership for own learning and development in the spirit of continuous improvement of both self and the business
• Assists in the training, mentoring, and assessment of other team members
• Exercises autonomy and judgment subject to overall direction or guidance

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering is required
• Master Degree in Chemical Engineering or a Ph.D. is preferred

Experience

• Minimum of 7 years' experience within technology commercialization for chemical products
• Specialized expertise in any of the following is preferred: crystallization, converting batch processing to continuous, integrated reaction/separations
• Experience with Aspen modeling, Minitab, DCS infrastructure, and PI is preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience planning and managing cross-functional teams and projects
• Demonstrated use of Six Sigma tools and techniques or similar to analyze data from development programs, plan and prioritize tasks, and develop design parameters for commercial process technology
• Analytical approach to defining unit operations and developing process equipment calculations
• Experience with full-scale chemical plant operation and scale-up from laboratory to pilot and full plant production
• Experience working in PSM regulated environment and leading safety reviews
• Fundamental knowledge of continuous and batch chemical operations including reaction, distillation, heat exchange, solids handling, utilities, and process control
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to adapt quickly to changing business needs and priorities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to flex own style as needed to influence and drive results
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to adapt quickly to changing business needs and priorities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to flex own style as needed to influence and drive results
• Ability to work within a multi-functional, global organizational structure and exhibits robust interpersonal skills
• Self-motivated and able to work within a fast-paced environment
• Critical thinking skills and analytical abilities allow assessments of situations and opportunities
• Exhibits a passion for continuous improvement and problem solving
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.
• Embodies the Vertellus Core Values:
  • Accountability: Takes ownership and holds him/herself and others accountable
  • Deliver Results: Takes personal responsibility for performance and business results
  • Bias for Action: Plays to win and gets the job done
  • Integrity: Acts ethically, with integrity to act and do in the right way

If you have the energy, drive, and passion to join the Vertellus team, we would love to hear from you. Apply today!

Vertellus offers competitive total compensation packages including benefits such as: medical, dental, vision, life, 401(k), disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, paid time off and paid holidays.

Vertellus is a global Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of and will not be discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, age, veteran status, disability status, genetic information or any other protected category.