Senior Project Engineer

Hydrite Chemical USA • Laurens, SC

20d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Project Engineer will play a key role in developing, constructing, and starting up Hydrite’s new greenfield facility in Laurens, South Carolina. The position provides hands-on leadership through front-end engineering, detailed design, construction, commissioning, and startup, while establishing the facility’s engineering, operational, and reliability foundation. After startup, the role transitions to ongoing capital project execution, continuous improvement, and plant engineering support.

The position also provides engineering support across safety, environmental and regulatory compliance, food safety, production, maintenance, sales, and construction management. It reports to the Corporate Engineering Manager.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Chemical or Mechanical Engineering preferred.
• At least eight years of process-engineering and/or project-engineering experience in the chemical-processing industry preferred.
• At least five years of direct technical management experience interfacing with contractors.
• Strong computer skills and knowledge of PowerPoint, Word, and Excel required.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English.
• Valid driver’s license and personal vehicle required.
• Ability to sit and/or stand up to 12 hours per day.
• Ability to occasionally climb ladders and stairways up to 40 feet.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time during the first year.
• Occasional 12-to-14-hour workdays may be required due to travel or project-related activities.
• Occasional turning, twisting, stooping, bending, and reaching.
• Contact lenses are prohibited due to safety concerns.

Nice To Haves

• Additional education in Project Management preferred.
• Experience with greenfield projects, major expansions, or plant startups strongly preferred.
• Site decommissioning experience, including equipment removal and demolition.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and pipeline-sizing programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support capital projects for the Laurens greenfield facility from design through startup.
• Coordinate with corporate engineering, construction teams, contractors, and subcontractors to align project scope, schedule, and cost.
• Support development of site standards, engineering practices, and documentation, including P&IDs, specifications, and procedures.
• Drive commissioning and startup, including troubleshooting and performance validation.
• Establish foundational systems for reliability, maintenance, and operational readiness.
• Manage and execute capital and improvement projects at the Laurens site after startup.
• Identify and implement process, safety, and reliability improvements.
• Provide daily engineering support to operations, including process troubleshooting and optimization.
• Support MOC, PSM, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
• Promote Hydrite’s Safety Vision, Mission, and Values across operations, including contractor work.
• Support Corporate SQRA and Site EHS representatives in complying with applicable state and federal regulations and standards.
• Lead engineering efforts supporting Food Safety and SQF initiatives and projects.
• Coordinate and direct process hazard analyses, including PHA level selection, required checklists and templates, and engineering MOC action items for new products and processes.
• Provide process hazard analysis data and documentation, including mass and energy balances, process kinetics, equipment lists and drawings, process flow diagrams, and relief vent sizing calculations.
• Support Sales and Marketing and provide technical assistance through customer interfaces.
• Support daily production by monitoring process performance, troubleshooting issues, and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Maintain quality facilities, products, and services for internal and external customers in accordance with Hydrite’s Standard of Excellence.
• Develop operating procedures, training materials, and technical guidance for new equipment and processes.
• Provide technical support for maintenance of plant equipment.
• Facilitate communication across Hydrite departments and provide timely, concise, and accurate reports to plant and senior management, including weekly written status updates.
• Support construction management by coordinating contractors and subcontractors, reviewing and interpreting construction drawings and specifications, monitoring progress, and conducting site audits for safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

Benefits

• Up to 10% retirement contribution.
• $600 per year wellness incentive.
• Front-loaded paid time off.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, eligible the first day of the month following hire date.
• 401(k) and profit sharing.
• Life insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Adoption assistance.
• Legal services insurance.
• Scholarship awards for employees’ children.
• Summer picnic.
• Community giving events.
• Free family wellness coaching, including a nutritionist and fitness coach.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior