Development Engineer II

AMPAC Fine Chemicals•Rancho Cordova, CA

13d•$100,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Development Engineer II independently supports and executes process development and scale-up activities for APIs and intermediates. This role applies engineering principles to design, optimize, and troubleshoot chemical processes from laboratory through pilot and early commercial manufacturing. This role demonstrates growing technical depth, increasing ownership of assigned projects, and the ability to collaborate cross-functionally to support safe and efficient scale-up.

Requirements

2-5 years of relevant process development or manufacturing experience
Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or related engineering discipline required
Solid understanding of chemical engineering principles including mass and energy balances
Experience with laboratory and pilot-scale unit operations
Ability to independently analyze data and draw technical conclusions
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and basic data analysis tools

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of GMP manufacturing environments preferred

Responsibilities

Design and execute laboratory and pilot-scale experiments for reactions, extractions, distillations, crystallizations, filtrations, and drying operations.
Develop and reconcile mass balances from laboratory through pilot scale; support commercial-scale projections.
Evaluate process parameters and identify opportunities for optimization, yield improvement, and cycle-time reduction.
Prepare process flow diagrams, material balances, and supporting technical documentation.
Support pilot plant campaigns and initial manufacturing batches, including monitoring critical process parameters.
Assist in preparing and reviewing batch records and scale-up documentation.
Troubleshoot process issues during demonstration and first commercial runs.
Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, and EHS to ensure safe and compliant operations.
Identify potential safety risks related to chemical hazards, reactions, and processing steps and recommend mitigation strategies.
Review safety data (e.g., SDS, hazard evaluations, dust hazard information) in collaboration with senior engineers.
Support environmental and emissions documentation and ensure adherence to GMP and company safety standards.
Support Quality by Design (QbD) initiatives, including participation in design of experiments (DoE) and evaluation of critical process parameters (CPPs).
Analyze process data to support investigations and continuous improvement efforts.
Contribute to technical reports and project summaries for internal and client review.
May perform other duties as assigned.