Maintenance Technical Competency Lead

Sasol•Lake Charles, LA

About The Position

The Rotating Equipment Trainer in a petrochemical facility is responsible for developing and delivering specialized training programs focused on the safe operation, maintenance, and reliability of rotating machinery critical to plant operations. This includes all machinery that spins or turns, such as pumps, compressors, gearboxes, turbines, blowers, and motors used in chemical processing. The trainer ensures that maintenance personnel and are equipped with the technical skills and safety awareness required to maintain equipment integrity and minimize downtime. This position will work to improve operational awareness and training of the rotating assets in the facility as well.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent with 12+ years of industrial experience in plant maintenance positions/rotating experience or
University Bachelor’s Degree with 8+ years of insdustrial experience in plant maintenance positions/rotating experience
Working knowledge of codes and standards as they apply to rotating equipment.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Practical training and hands-on expertise with rotating equipment used in petrochemical processes (e.g., pumps, gearboxes, motors, compressors, turbines, governor controls).
Strong understanding of process safety management (PSM), mechanical integrity, and permit-to-work systems.

Nice To Haves

Experience in training or technical instruction within a chemical or refinery setting preferred
Proficient in SAP preferred or other CMMS systems, vibration analysis tools, laser alignment, dynamic balancing, thermography, and portable condition-monitoring devices.
Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis preferred, clear written and verbal communication, and proven ability to coach multi-shift teams and contractors.
Preference for Certifications or knowledge of rotating equipment standards. API, ANSI/ASME, and ISO standards (e.g., ISO 18436, ANSI/ASME B73.1, API 686, API 610, API 614, API 617, API 618, API 674, API 675, API 676, API 682).

Responsibilities

Training Program Development
Design and update training modules specific to petrochemical rotating equipment, aligned with API, ANSI/ASME, ISO and OSHA standards.
Develop instructional content covering equipment theory, operation, troubleshooting, and predictive maintenance.
Integrate plant-specific procedures, safety protocols, and emergency response practices into training materials.
Technical Instruction and Facilitation
Conduct classroom and field-based training sessions for maintenance technicians, reliability engineers, and operations staff.
Demonstrate correct procedures for alignment, vibration analysis, lubrication, and seal systems.
Lead hands-on workshops using actual plant equipment or simulators to reinforce learning.
Equipment Reliability and Troubleshooting Support
Collaborate with reliability and maintenance teams to identify recurring issues and training gaps.
Provide technical guidance during equipment failure investigations and root cause analysis.
Support implementation of reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) and condition-based monitoring strategies.
Coordinate immediate OEM and specialty vendor engagement when failures exceed onsite capability and instruct crews on vendor-recommended procedures.
Competency Assessment and Certification
Evaluate trainee performance through written exams, practical demonstrations, and on-the-job assessments.
Evaluate trainee competency results and recommend remediation plans within the training program for any coaching needs.
Maintain training and competency records, recommend certification paths (e.g., API 686, ISO 18436, ANSI/ASME B73.1).
Ensure compliance with regulatory and internal competency requirements.
Define pass/fail criteria, remediation plans, and re-certification intervals.
Continuous Improvement and Compliance
Stay current with advancements in rotating equipment technology and petrochemical industry practices.
Update training content based on equipment upgrades, incident investigations, and audit findings.
Participate in safety meetings, turnaround planning, and reliability improvement initiatives.
Ensure craft personnel implement 5-why in their understanding of repairs
Competency Metrics and Reporting
Track and report training pass rate, time-to-competency, training coverage, training cost per trainee, and percent of equipment failures resolved without repeat failure.
Provide monthly metrics and exception reports to L&D, reliability, and site leadership and support audit requests.
Lead post-event investigations, document lessons learned, and update training modules and outage work packs based on findings.