Principal Process Engineer – Hydroprocessing
About The Position
Valero is hiring a senior process engineering specialist to identify, lead, and communicate projects and technical work that improve hydroprocessing unit performance, reliability, cycle length, and margin capture. The role plans and executes multidisciplinary work, partners closely with Operations and Maintenance, and provides high-level troubleshooting and startup support for complex unit issues. It operates with substantial autonomy, aligning efforts with site and corporate priorities and collaborating with Directors and Advisors as needed to resolve critical problems and standardize best practices. The position identifies improvement opportunities and develops project and turnaround scopes, value cases, and execution plans. It leads catalyst selection and related technical work, supports critical-unit startups, advises on operating windows and performance optimization, and leads troubleshooting of complex upsets. It also reviews and approves hydroprocessing catalyst purchases for assigned units, develops technical and economic recommendations, contributes expertise to catalyst development, and partners with Project Development on project scope and design criteria. The role helps develop corporate standards and performance benchmarks, supports process-safety assessments, and coaches engineers while sharing lessons and best practices across units and sites. This is a salaried exempt position. The employee must work on-site in San Antonio, provide off-hours support as needed, and be available for occasional refinery startup support that may involve days-only or 12-hour shifts for one to two weeks. Travel to other company sites or vendors/licensors is estimated at 25%. Candidates must hold or be able to obtain a TWIC card. Position level and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree or higher in Chemical Engineering or a closely related field.
- 15 years of process engineering experience in the refining industry, including field experience with startups and operating-plant troubleshooting.
- Able and willing to work on-site, in person, at the Valero San Antonio location.
- Available to provide on-site support during off-hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed.
- Available for occasional on-site refinery startup support, potentially involving days-only or 12-hour shifts for one to two weeks at a time.
- Ability to travel to other company sites or vendors/licensors as needed; estimated travel requirement is 25%.
- Current TWIC holder or ability to obtain a TWIC card from TSA.
- Must successfully complete Valero’s pre-employment background check and hair-analysis drug screen.
Responsibilities
- Identify high-impact improvement opportunities in assigned process units and develop project or turnaround scope, value cases, and execution plans aligned with site and corporate strategy.
- Lead and coordinate catalyst selections and other technical work across Operations, Maintenance, Inspection, Process Control, and Projects.
- Coordinate and lead on-site startup support for critical units.
- Serve as a recognized process-unit authority, mentor engineers, and advise Operations on operating windows and performance optimization.
- Lead high-level troubleshooting of complex unit upsets, coordinate cross-functional responses, and restore stable operation.
- Review and approve, with signature authority, hydroprocessing catalyst purchases for assigned units, including catalyst requests for quotation; work with site, procurement, and planning to reflect unit goals and planned feedstock.
- Provide reasoned technical and economic catalyst recommendations, including ranges of outcomes, and apply hydroprocessing catalyst knowledge to select appropriate high-activity, optimal-selectivity, or low-cost options.
- Provide expertise on catalyst manufacture, pilot-plant testing, and catalyst quality parameters, and contribute to catalyst development programs with supplier partners.
- Partner with Project Development to progress project scope through PDEP milestones, establish design criteria, evaluate alternatives, and confirm operability, maintainability, and lifecycle value.
- Contribute to corporate standards, best practices, and performance benchmarks, and provide feedback to improve company-wide methodologies.
- Work with process safety on standardized unit risk assessments and PHA action items.
- Coach and develop early-career and mid-career engineers and foster technical rigor, safety, and continuous improvement.
- Train informally and share lessons learned and best practices across units and sites.
- Provide on-site support during off-hours, including evenings and weekends as needed, for urgent operational or reliability events.
- Provide occasional on-site refinery startup support, potentially working days-only or 12-hour shifts for one to two weeks at a time.
- Travel to company sites or vendors/licensors for project reviews, technical troubleshooting, and knowledge sharing as needed.
Benefits
- Competitive pay and annual bonus program.
- 100% match on 401(k) contributions up to 7%, with immediate vesting.
- Company-sponsored pension plan.
- Comprehensive healthcare and wellness programs.
- Onsite daycare center.
- Onsite employee and family wellness centers with physician and pediatrician services.
- Onsite pharmacy.
- Free state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness center for employees and spouses, with access to tennis and basketball facilities.
- Onsite cafeteria open for breakfast and lunch.
- Campus walking paths and access to biking trails.
- Customizable benefits package, subject to employee eligibility and work location.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
