Senior Mechanical Engineer

Want to disrupt one of the largest industries in the world? Fortera is a Materials Technology Company headquartered in Silicon Valley focused on paving the way to zero CO2 cement. The technology is inspired by nature and directly converts CO2 into a replacement for ordinary cement, turning a problem into a product. With over 100,000 hours of R&D, 10+ years of real-world product demonstration, and Fortera’s first small commercial plant operational, Fortera is growing the team to commercialize globally. Be on the ground floor of a carbon-to-value movement that will impact millions for generations to come. We are looking for passionate thinkers, doers, and problem-solvers who share our vision that big challenges are big opportunities for change. Visit www.forteraglobal.com for more information.

POSITION OVERVIEW 

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the mechanical engineering and design efforts for our full-scale commercial plant. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in the chemicals and/or mineral processing industry, although a candidate with experience in the Oil and Gas, Energy or heavy industrial sectors and relevant equipment design experience may be considered.

The ideal candidate will complement the existing engineering team by drawing on their experience with the engineering design and selection of rotating and static equipment, materials handling, piping systems, plant layout, value engineering, vendor management, construction and commissioning of mechanical systems, and reliability engineering.

The candidate should have experience with the following operations and equipment: materials handling, slurry transport, crushing, grinding, mineral dissolution, gas absorption, storage/loading operations, kilns/calciners, screens, mills, clarifiers, cyclones, filtration, solids dewatering, and drying.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide overall mechanical engineering leadership to the project team from conceptual design through detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, and start-up.
• Prepare conceptual designs and assist in preliminary investigations for process operations and equipment selection by providing expertise on mechanical equipment and materials selection.
• Lead the specification and selection of rotating and static equipment including pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, conveyors, blowers, pressure vessels, and tanks, piping, and valves in accordance with industry codes, standards and best practices.
• Investigate the solids handling properties of the solid feeds and cementitious products to make any necessary modifications to selected solids handling equipment and piping.
• Design systems for efficiently storing, packaging, and transporting cement product.
• Develop and review mechanical equipment datasheets, specifications, and design philosophies. Ensure compliance with relevant industry codes and standards.
• Lead the Mechanical / Piping input for plant 3D-model reviews including general arrangement, pipe routing, valve and instrument placement and supports.
• Lead the development of standardized company design specifications and philosophies for mechanical equipment, piping, and valves.
• Perform and review Technical Bid Evaluations for mechanical equipment and packages including tanks, vessels, pumps, heat exchangers, conveyors, reactors, crushing/grinding equipment, kilns, cyclones, scrubbers, and other wet and dry process equipment.
• Review design documents and drawings for vendor supplied equipment to ensure compliance with project specifications, and industry codes and standards.
• Develop and review Quality Management documents including procedures, guidelines, checklists, and templates for Mechanical Engineering activities and deliverables.
• Develop and review QA/QC requirements for the design, fabrication, construction, pre-commissioning, and turnover of mechanical equipment and piping.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Electrical, Process, Instrumentation and Controls, Civil/Structural and Safety to ensure integrated design solutions.
• Utilize engineering software and tools for design and analysis (e.g., AutoCAD, PV Elite, CodeCalc, Compress, FEA, CFD) as necessary.
• Develop and review project cost estimates related to mechanical equipment and piping.
• Lead and/or participate in value engineering, optimization, trade-off and RAM studies.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance to the team.
• Stay updated on industry trends, technologies, and best practice.
• Perform other related duties that may be assigned to you.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
• 10+ years’ experience in the chemical, minerals and metals, or other relevant heavy industri