Reliability Engineer

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities, we are able to develop new products from our core technologies and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers.  Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and China.  As a privately held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies.  Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business.

The primary purpose of the rotating equipment Mechanical Reliability Engineer is primarily to identify and manage rotating equipment asset and supporting/surrounding systems reliability risks, which could adversely affect plant or business operations. The Mechanical Reliability Engineer is responsible for developing, optimizing and implementing equipment stewardship strategies, premises and programs that will maximize asset value creation, safe equipment operation, and controlled cost of ownership for the various assets supported.

TARGETED OUTCOMES:

• Measurable improvements in unit performance aligned to business financial objectives including raw material usage, energy usage, reliability, capacity, maintainability, and quality.
• Technical support, guidance and expertise on rotating equipment/assets and supporting projects, from front-end engineering through detailed design, costing estimates, fabrication, inspection/validation, installation, commissioning, and maintenance.
• Reliability gaps closure through development and implementation of reliability-centered maintenance principles and programs

• Support and ownership of the Reliability and/or Productivity continuous improvement pipeline via input of key projects based on equipment bad actors, capital gains, asset life extension, or other approved tasks that will yield positive business impact

• Develop and maintain equipment operational entitlement mindset in order to understand best performance for any given asset based on varying conditions (e.g. production demand, equipment age/duty cycle, corrosion rate, design vs. demand, etc.)

• Application of cutting edge reliability technology to improve manufacturing processes and equipment performance to provide competitive advantage.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Establishing and driving reliability engineering principles and best work practices
• Establishing equipment performance expectations and measuring overall equipment performance
• Developing and leading equipment condition monitoring, performance, and/or stewardship programs
• Directing and overseeing major overhauls and repairs to critical rotating equipment
• Troubleshoot equipment problems and conduct root cause failure analysis investigations on failed equipment, develop action plan to eliminate repeat failures, and implement corrective actions
• Working with Production, Engineering, and Safety teams to identify key areas for reliability improvements, develop action plan, and work to implement action plan
• Provide technical support to all Maintenance Engineers, Reliability Specialist and Mechanical
  Technicians on mechanical repairs, troubleshooting problems, and equipment installation issues
• Provide technical support to the Engineering Department on the selection of mechanical equipment based on reliability improvements and industry best practices

TEAM:

Reports to: Sr. Maintenance and Reliability Manager

REQUIRED SKILLS:

The knowledge and skills of the reliability engineers include, but are not limited to:

• Strong working knowledge of rotating equipment including installation and piping
• Knowledge and understanding of reliability-centered maintenance practices
• Knowledge and understanding of RAGAGEP engineering practices and principles
• Overhaul and repair practices on compressors (axial, centrifugal, reciprocating, screw), blowrs, turbines, pumps (axial, can, centrifugal, diaphragm, mag-drive, etc.), governors, etc.
• Knowledge and understanding of specialty equipment (e.g. centrifuges, extruders/pelletizers, bulk solids handling equipment, etc.)
• Ability to conduct shop inspections and validations, technical guidance and overview, scope of work review and approval for key rotating equipment assets repairs and/or overhauls
• Knowledge and understanding of fixed assets (e.g. tanks, vessels, exchangers, piping, etc.)
• Design and operation of rotating equipment, ability to read and interpret pump curves, engineering drawing, blueprints and schematics
• Knowledge and understanding of predictive technologies, such as vibration analysis, infrared thermography, lubrication analysis, ultrasound, etc.
• Use logic and reasoning to identify alternative solutions, conclusions, and approaches to solving equipment problems
• Ability to review and communicate business economics impact of reliability issues and improvements
• Ability to listen and understand information and ideas and to express thought and ideas clearly and concisely through oral and written communication
• Knowledge and use of CMMS software as an effective maintenance management tool for obtaining equipment information, history, costs, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS in Mechanical Engineering
• 2-7 years of experience in reliability field of the chemicals, petrochemical or manufacturing industry
• Familiarity with equipment types manufacturers and remaining current on latest enhancements, upgrades, improvements, efficiency gains or other advancements and determining feasibility vs. need of implementation.
• Understanding of basic industry standards, recommended practices and/or regulatory conditions/considerations for rotating equipment
• Proven Problem solving abilities.
• Written and verbal communication and a disciplined approach to company standards and procedures are required to facilitate and implement improvements.
• Customer focused to provide quality service and improve equipment and process reliability.

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value transparency and fairness in our hiring process. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, search firms, or staffing agencies. Any resumes received from such entities will be considered the property of Ascend Performance Materials, and we will not be obligated to pay any fees for such submissions. Our Talent Acquisition Team actively engages with preferred recruitment partners who have established agreements with us. We encourage all interested candidates to apply directly through our official channels to be considered for any open positions.

Skills Summary:

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities ​​for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.