Staff Advanced Process Control Engineer

Valero • San Antonio, TX

2d • Onsite

About The Position

A Staff Advanced Process Control Engineer serves as a corporate resource for implementing and maintaining Advanced Process Control (APC) applications on typical units across multiple refineries. The position supports APC and similar advanced control applications and their interfaces to DCS systems, and consults with site resources on APC-related issues. A significant percentage of the role is spent working onsite at various refineries conducting pretests, step tests, inferential sensor development, application commissioning, troubleshooting, and operator training related to APC implementation.

The role designs and implements optimization and maintenance of Aspen DMCplus for new and existing process units. It manages multiple parallel refinery projects involving site and contract resources, leads APC network meetings, supports development and generation of corporate monetary and utilization metrics, develops and audits corporate APC standards, and assists with or leads corporate-sponsored APC training activities. The employee must be able and willing to work onsite in person at Valero’s San Antonio location and travel domestically and/or internationally up to 30% of the time as required. This is a salaried exempt position and is not eligible for overtime pay.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or higher-level degree in Chemical Engineering or a similar discipline.
• At least 8 years of process control engineering experience in the refining industry, with extensive demonstrated hands-on APC implementation experience.
• Ability to travel domestically and/or internationally up to 30% of the time as required.
• Ability and willingness to work onsite, in person, at the Valero San Antonio location.
• Must be eligible to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a similar discipline.
• Experience with the latest versions of DMC3 Builder (9 and 10) and related products.
• Large-unit or multi-unit real-time optimization experience.
• Experience with AI tools such as neural networks.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement optimization and maintenance of Aspen DMCplus for new and existing process units.
• Conduct pre-testing of refinery units and make instrument recommendations.
• Develop inferential sensors and tune DCS loops.
• Improve control strategies, conduct step testing, develop models, commission applications, and troubleshoot APC applications.
• Provide operator and engineer training for APC applications.
• Manage multiple parallel refinery projects involving a mix of site and contract resources.
• Host or lead APC network meetings.
• Assist sites in developing and generating corporate monetary and utilization metrics.
• Develop, modify, and audit corporate APC standards.
• Assist with or lead corporate-sponsored APC training activities.

Benefits

• Competitive pay and annual bonus program.
• 401(k) match of 100% 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.

What This Job Offers

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