Senior Project Engineer

Hydrite • Laurens, SC

1d

About The Position

The Senior Project Engineer will play a key role in the development, construction, and start-up of Hydrite’s new Laurens, South Carolina greenfield facility, with the expectation of transitioning into a long-term engineering role supporting the site after startup. The position provides hands-on leadership through all phases of the expansion, from front-end engineering and detailed design through construction, commissioning, and startup, while helping establish the engineering, operational, and reliability foundation for the facility. After startup, the role shifts to capital project execution, continuous improvement, and plant engineering support.

The role also supports safety, environmental, process safety, and food safety initiatives; daily production and maintenance activities; technical assistance for Sales and Marketing; and coordination with contractors and subcontractors. The Senior Project Engineer reports to the Corporate Engineering Manager.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

• Lead and support capital project execution for the Laurens greenfield facility, from design through startup.
• Partner with corporate engineering, construction teams, and contractors to maintain alignment on project scope, schedule, and cost.
• Support development of site standards, engineering practices, and documentation, including P&IDs, specifications, and procedures.
• Drive commissioning and startup activities, 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 troubleshooting and optimization.
• Support MOC, PSM, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
• Promote Hydrite’s Safety Vision, Mission, and Values across operations, including contractor work.
• Provide engineering support to Corporate SQRA and Site EHS representatives to help ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations and standards.
• Lead engineering efforts supporting Food Safety and SQF initiatives and projects.
• Coordinate and direct process hazard analysis, including PHA level selection, required checklists and templates, and engineering MOC action items associated with introducing new products or processes.
• Support Sales and Marketing activities and provide technical assistance through customer interfaces.
• Support daily production by monitoring process performance, troubleshooting problems, and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Maintain quality facilities, products, and services for internal and external customers in keeping 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, accurate reports to plant and senior management, including weekly written status updates.
• Coordinate with contractors and subcontractors, review and interpret construction drawings and specifications, monitor construction progress, and conduct 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 children of employees.
• Summer picnic.
• Community giving events.
• Free family wellness coaching, including access to a nutritionist and fitness coach.

What This Job Offers

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