Principal Process Engineer - Fractionation

Valero is looking for a Principal Process Engineer - Fractionation to join the Process Optimization & Support team at the Valero Headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. The Principal Process Engineer - Fractionation serves as Fractionation Subject Matter Expert providing best in class support for refinery optimization and project support.

Responsibilities may also include: 

• Reports to Technology Advisor, Fractionation and Crude units
• Supports day-to-day routine optimization and troubleshooting distillation and Crude and Vacuum unit issues across the Refinery sites as needed.
• Provides higher level troubleshooting and debottlenecking capability.
• Responds to refinery requests for assistance.
• Provide technical leadership to further develop Valero’s Process Chemical treatment program.
• Assists plants with investigation and implementation of strategic projects.
• Assists in the development and application of distillation and Crude and Vacuum unit technologies across the Refinery sites.
• Stays abreast of emerging technology in in Distillation, Crude and Vacuum units.
• Assists with establishing Key Processing “Best Practices” to improve profitability, including: operating conditions, feedstock processing, hardware change recommendations, monitoring process conditions, and unit performance reporting/comparison (benchmarking).
• Supports capital development process in technology selection and front-end engineering as requested.
• Conducts regular site visits to assist in evaluation, monitoring, troubleshooting, process design, performance tests, and optimization.
• Conducts site visits during turnarounds/outages to assist with tower inspections, scope development, and solution evaluations.
• Provides training for Valero early career engineers; Crude/Vacuum, Intro/Advanced Distillation, Intern, and selected onsite training (Operations support and Installation/Inspection).
• Manages projects ranging from $50k - $5M.
• Acts as primary contact with and monitors performance of Consultants, Vendors, Construction Contractors, and Subcontractors, etc. employed for the projects.
• Communicates formally and informally to management at the refinery.
• Develops and releases monthly Progress Reports.
• Resolves technical/commercial/schedule issues and conflicts.
• Controls project changes and directs communication with the refinery management regarding changes and change control.

This position is salaried exempt status, which means you are not eligible for overtime pay.

• Bachelors of Science (B.S.) degree or higher degree in Chemical Engineering required.
• 15 years of process engineering experience in a refining or petroleum industry, including field experience with startups and operating plant troubleshooting required.
• Field experience in P&IDs review, Instrument Identification, Unit operations, and troubleshooting-data acquisition required.
• Field experience in troubleshooting fractionating towers and separators and in optimization of operating distillation columns required.
• Experience with process design of fractionating internals and their hydraulic ratings required.
• Ability to quickly assess unit/tower/separator performance issues, arrive at actionable recommendations and provide clear communications to operations, refinery leadership and corporate leadership required.
• Able and willing to work on-site, in-person at the Valero San Antonio location, required.
• Strong written and presentation skills is highly preferred.
• Experience in primary crude fractionation operation, including desalting and vacuum systems preferred.
• Experience with leading unit startups, including revamps and new units preferred.

All successful candidates must be eligible to obtain a TWIC card (Transpo