POSITION SUMMARY
The Chemical Process Engineering Associate is an intermediate position between a Chemical Process Engineering Intern and a Chemical Process Engineer I. The position is intended for an advanced Chemical Engineering student, graduate student, recent graduate, or other qualified individual capable of performing meaningful engineering work with greater independence than an intern while maintaining a reduced or flexible work schedule. The engineer performs defined assignments associated with R&D, pilot operations, process design, process analysis, plant support, controls, environmental systems, and technology scale-up. This is an on-site, part-time position with a consistent schedule coordinated with the department. May independently perform routine calculations, process-data analysis, testing, and documentation within an established technical scope. Complex design decisions and significant process changes remain under review of more experienced full-time engineering personnel.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Independently perform defined material and energy balances.
- Analyze continuous-process operating data and identify trends and abnormal conditions.
- Develop engineering calculations for fluid flow, pressure drop, heat transfer, gas and vapor flow, residence time, equipment capacity, energy consumption, and process yields.
- Support catalytic fast pyrolysis testing and process-development programs.
- Evaluate relationships between process operating conditions and bio-oil yield, bio-oil quality, aqueous yield, char production, non-condensable gas generation, and catalyst performance.
- Assist with catalyst formulation, manufacturing, testing, activation, regeneration, and deactivation studies.
- Prepare and revise PFDs and portions of P&IDs.
- Prepare process descriptions and basic equipment datasheets.
- Analyze process historian and control-system data.
- Assist with instrumentation and control-system evaluations.
- Support pilot-plant and production troubleshooting.
- Assist with development and execution of process test plans.
- Participate in equipment sizing and preliminary equipment selection.
- Support environmental calculations involving air emissions, combustion, wastewater flows, contaminant loading, and water consumption.
- Support basic process-economic calculations.
- Assist with commissioning, startup, shutdown, and performance testing.
- Participate in process-safety and management-of-change activities.
- Prepare engineering reports, calculations, and technical documentation.
- Other duties as needed.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline; OR current senior standing in an accredited Chemical Engineering program or closely related engineering discipline, with significant relevant engineering, laboratory, pilot-plant, research, cooperative education or industrial experience. Chemical Engineering strongly preferred.
- Candidates who have not yet completed the degree must have completed core coursework in material and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat and mass transfer.
- Skills:
- Strong Microsoft Excel and engineering-calculation capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to independently perform defined engineering calculations, analyze process data, document results, and organize and execute technical assignments with appropriate engineering oversight.
- Ability to work safely in laboratory, pilot-plant, and industrial environments.
- Ability to work on-site on a consistent part-time schedule coordinated with the department.
- Self-motivated, dependable, organized, and able to manage multiple assignments with appropriate technical guidance.
- Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively with engineers, technicians, operations personnel, vendors, and contractors.
- Valid driver's license with acceptable motor vehicle history for business travel in a company vehicle.
- Ability to pass a hair follicle drug test, post-offer pre-employment physical, and background check.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Coursework or experience in reaction engineering and process control.
- Previous engineering internship, laboratory, pilot-plant, cooperative education, or industrial experience.
- Experience with instrumentation, data acquisition, process simulation, MATLAB, Python, AutoCAD, Solidworks, or related engineering tools.
- Experience or coursework related to biofuels, catalysis, refining, biomass conversion, environmental systems, or other continuous chemical processes.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Ability to sit and/or stand for shift, reach with hands and arms, stoop, squat, bend at the waist, kneel, walk varying distance, and climb stairs.
- Bend at waist – occasional
- Twist upper body – occasional
- Stoop - occasional
- Repetitive use of hands – frequent for computer, engineering, and clerical duties
- Stand/walk – frequent
- Sit – occasional
- Vision – near and far correctable; depth perception
- Hearing – preferred for awareness of surrounding machinery, mobile equipment, emergencies
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Must be able to tolerate all weather elements, loud conditions, airborne particles (sawdust).
Idaho Forest Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, family medical history, or any other status protected by law.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
