Sr. Engineer, Starch, Decatur

Primient•Decatur, IL

About The Position

The Senior Engineer sits within the Engineering Technical Track and provides technical leadership, process optimization, and project execution to enhance plant efficiency, reliability, and safety. The role leads complex capital and non-capital projects, oversees large-scale process improvements, and provides technical oversight and mentorship to junior engineers while upholding engineering standards and best practices. As a unit operation subject matter expert, the Senior Engineer supports multiple plants with troubleshooting, startups, process standardization, and strategic decision-making. The position also contributes to engineering priorities, cost-effective solutions, and plant-wide operational strategy. The role requires expertise in process design and plant operations, including material and energy balances, fluid dynamics, process control, thermodynamics, materials of construction and compatibility, and equipment sizing. The Senior Engineer applies continuous improvement approaches, safety and environmental best practices, procurement strategies, and budget management while working across disciplines and functions. The position is based in Decatur. The annual estimated pay range is $123,515.20–$154,394.00, and the role is bonus eligible. Primient describes a culture emphasizing safety, excellence, integrity, growth, inclusion, accountability, and career development.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Chemical, Mechanical, Bio, or Electrical Engineering, or a related field, from an ABET-accredited institution.
At least 6 years of process engineering and project management experience in a chemical manufacturing environment.
Experience identifying and implementing process optimization and cost-reduction initiatives.
Experience managing large capital funds.
Experience implementing cross-functional projects.
Experience evaluating PHA, DHA, PSSR, and JRA.
Knowledge of process design, including material and energy, fluid dynamics, process control, thermodynamics, materials of construction and compatibility, and equipment sizing.
Multidisciplinary understanding and the ability to recognize when other disciplines need to be involved in project or process design.
Knowledge of business systems such as Microsoft Office, Outlook, SAP, CATS, and Gensuite.
Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies and safety, quality, and environmental regulations and best practices.
Knowledge of procurement strategies, budget management, and whole-plant design and operation.
Expertise in a variety of unit operations, enabling understanding of product flow and the ability to learn processes quickly.
Strong written and verbal communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent solution-development skills.
Project management skills for high-impact, complex projects; influential leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to troubleshoot complex issues with unknown solutions and perform root cause analysis.
Time management, prioritization, and documentation skills.
Coaching, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing skills.
Collaborative, data-driven, goal-oriented, safety-conscious, technically curious, solution-focused, adaptable, and continuous-improvement-minded approach.

Nice To Haves

Participation in initiatives or projects at other sites or areas.
Six Sigma or continuous improvement experience.

Responsibilities

Manage and execute capital and non-capital projects ranging from $500,000 to $2 million, ensuring timely delivery, cost-effectiveness, and adherence to engineering standards.
Lead multidisciplinary teams in project execution while balancing technical, financial, and operational priorities.
Identify and implement improvements to productivity, uptime, cost efficiency, and safety using data-driven solutions across multiple unit operations.
Lead and support safety programs, hazard analysis, and risk mitigation, integrating safety into process design, capital projects, and daily engineering work.
Support or lead process design, troubleshooting, and startups across multiple plants; provide unit-operation expertise and share standardized practices across sites.
Use LEAN, Six Sigma, and data analytics to identify inefficiencies and implement scalable continuous improvement solutions.
Coach and mentor less experienced engineers in technical problem-solving, project management, and cross-functional collaboration.
Contribute technical insight and strategic recommendations to site and area leadership discussions concerning plant efficiency, resource allocation, and long-term operational success.
Lead initiatives to improve equipment reliability, reduce energy consumption, and enhance operational sustainability and the long-term viability of critical assets.
Improve process documentation, communication, system workflows, and other ways of working to streamline engineering and plant operations.