Senior Production Engineer

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.

Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.

About the role

Dow has an opening for a Senior Production Engineer in Hayward, CA .

The Senior Production Engineer serves as a vital resource for Operations by applying technical skills to optimize plant operations, resolve plant problems, and enable safe and efficient production of low cost, quality products. Requires conceptual knowledge of theories, practices, and procedures within job discipline. Performs routine assignments and solves standard problems using existing procedures. Applies general knowledge of business developed through education or past experience.

Responsibilities / Duties

• Works closely with the operations team leveraging their problem solving skills and technical expertise.
• Elevates and appropriately applies knowledge of the plant and technology referencing historical data and conferring with Technology Center or other subject matter experts (SMEs).
• Ensures Most Effective Technology (MET) is understood and utilized and that process automation is used as a tool to optimize plant performance.
• Utilizes defined MET and challenges/escalates MET application and assumptions when better solutions arise.
• Partners with experts to perform advanced troubleshooting and improve and document operating discipline.
• Diagnoses and documents root causes of asset utilization losses in the facility.
• Understands why specific procedure steps and precautions are needed and keeps a strong field presence to reinforce the importance.
• Conducts daily review of logbook and alarm history to better understand the plant operation and stay engaged with daily activities.
• Maintains, owns, and reviews daily Key Process Indicators (KPI)/ trends to ensure optimum performance.
• Responds urgently to plant issues and emergencies.
• Acts as a unit technical expert during unplanned events. Leads Root Cause Investigations and drives implementation of effective corrective and preventative actions.
• Provides leadership, expertise, diagnosis, and optimization in plant Raw Material Efficiency, which may include yield or waste generation.
• Ensures compliance with plant operating permits. Understands site integration and provides input to optimize the overall system.
• Possesses strong understanding of Dow’s Life Critical Standards. Serves as influential leader supporting training and execution of the standards among Operations personnel.
• Possesses strong understanding of Dow’s Process Safety standards (LOPA, LPP, etc). Serves as focal point for Process Safety-related gap closure / improvement efforts.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering
• 3+ years of relevant experience in chemical manufacturing or closely related experience
• A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States. No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.

Preferred Qualifications

• Chemical Engineering degree
• Prior coatings manufacturing experience

Physical demands

Willing and able to meet physical demands of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations

• Ability to safely work in a plant environment, meet physical demands, work at elevated heights, and comfortably use PPE and safety equipment. Must be familiar with or open to training on proper equipment usage.
• Wear safety equipment, such as earplugs, goggles, and steel-toed shoes
• Perform infrequent bending, reaching, and lifting
• Work in tight or closed-in spaces
• Climb stairs/ladders and work high off the ground
• Stand or walk for extended periods of time

Your Skills

• Process Engineering: Process engineering is the understanding and application of the fundamental principles and laws of nature that allow us to transform raw material and energy into products that are useful to society, at an industrial level. By taking advantage of the driving forces of nature such as pressure, temperature and concentration gradients, as well as the law of conservation of mass, process engineers can develop methods to synthesize and purify large quantities of desired chemical products. Process engineering focuses on the design, operation, control, optimization and intensification of chemical, physical, and biological processes.
• Chemical Engineering: Chemical engineering is a certain type of engineering which deals with the study of operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw material into useful products. Chemical engineering uses principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and economics to efficiently use, produce, design, transport and transform energy and materials. The work of chemical engineers can range from the utilization of nanotechnology and nanomaterials in the laboratory to large-scale industrial processes that convert chemicals, raw materials, living cells, microorganisms, and energy into useful forms and products.
• Proactive Problem Solving: Proactive Problem Solving is a strategy that focuses on preventing issues before they arise by targeting the root causes of potential problems and planning preventive measures well in advance.
• Group Problem Solving: Complex problem solving consists of finding creative and solutions to difficult and complex problems.
• Process Improvements: Process Improvement is the proactive task of identifying, analyzing and improving upon existing business processes within an organization for optimization and to meet new quotas or standards of quality.
• Plant Safety: Plant safety measures aim first and foremost to prevent accidents at plants where hazardous substances are used – and in the event of an accident, minimize the consequent health and environmental effects.
• Data Analysis: Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modelling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.

Additional Notes

• Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

For positions based in California, Dow is required by law to include the pay scale that is reasonably expected to represent the pay range for the position. This pay range is specific to the State of California and accounts for both new and experienced employees with consideration to factors including but not limited to skillset, experience, and sustained job performance (or