Process Development Engineer

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineer is responsible for driving continuous improvement and optimization of fermentation and downstream manufacturing processes at Evonik’s Blair, Nebraska facility. This role analyzes process performance, leads improvement initiatives and plant trials, supports capital projects, and partners with cross-functional teams to improve throughput, yield, efficiency, safety, and reliability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase plant throughput, yield, efficiency, and reliability while reducing process variability and production costs.
• Analyze process performance using statistical process control, data historian tools, mass and energy balances, and other engineering methods.
• Initiate and manage pilot- and full-scale plant trials and support the implementation of process improvements into production.
• Lead process optimization, de-bottlenecking, and efficiency improvement projects involving processes, equipment, and product quality.
• Support and execute capital projects focused on process efficiency and plant performance.
• Facilitate root cause analyses to identify and resolve operational and process issues.
• Identify process bottlenecks and develop solutions to maintain high plant throughput while mitigating implementation risks.
• Coordinate process development activities and collaborate with R&D, Technology, Production, Engineering, Quality, and other Evonik sites.
• Prepare and analyze monthly plant mass balances and use results to identify and implement improvements.
• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentoring to process development and engineering team members while supporting site safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.

• 3+ years in process engineering or in production management or process engineering of industrial chemical processes preferred.

• Experience with complex fermentation processes and process data analysis.

• Knowledge of processing technologies such as drying, materials handling, and chemical processes.

• Demonstrated experience improving plant availability, reliability, efficiency, and process performance.

• Experience leading cross-functional improvement initiatives, troubleshooting processes, and supporting or managing capital projects.

• Strong communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and project management skills, with the ability to provide technical leadership and develop others.

• The Evonik Group adopts an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) approach. Candidates are assessed based on their educational qualifications, experience, job competencies and potential and shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation or other classifications protected by local, state, or provincial regulations.