Senior Manufacturing Specialist

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is a global leader in high-performance chemicals, fibers and plastics, committed to enhancing quality of life through innovation. With fully integrated manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, we develop essential solutions that drive safer vehicles, cleaner energy, advanced medical devices, and durable consumer goods. Guided by a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and customer success, we operate responsibly while delivering value through cutting-edge technologies and industry expertise. Join our team and be part of a collaborative environment where your work drives meaningful global impact.

The Operations Manufacturing Specialist is responsible for optimization of production and product quality. The role is the operational expert and provides support to all technical, ESH and maintenance activities to the assigned area.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Coordinate unit operations activities to achieve the unit’s OEE, quality, and maintenance budget targets.
• Work closely with Turnaround group and Maintenance and Operations personnel to ensure shutdown is executed safely, completely, and within budget.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure all production activities are conducted in a safe, responsible and environmentally sound manner in compliance with all regulatory requirements. Comply with federal, state, and local regulations and operating permits.
• Identify and take necessary action to address and communicate all ESSH issues to appropriate parties.
• Comply with all procedures; participate in development and revision of unit procedures.
• Generate, review, implement and close changes via the MOC process.
• Take a leadership role in shutdown activities, including participation in scope and schedule development and reviewing shutdown job plans.
• Prioritize maintenance work and communicate to Operations/Maintenance Coordinator.
• Develop and maintain production requirements and lockout/blindout lists for maintenance jobs.
• Analyze handheld data for successive exceptions and resolve.
• Communicate production activities with maintenance plans to ensure equipment is available and ready for maintenance when scheduled.
• Coordinate and communicate activities with other units, as necessary.
• Implement assigned action items
• Lead and/or participate in Job Safety Analyses for unusual operations or maintenance activities
• Lead or participate in audits and inspections.
• Participate in PHAs.
• Lead, participate in and/or review incident investigations; identify and implement corrective actions.
• Provide technical input and support to projects and plant tests.
• Review daily sample analyses and trends in the Daily Unit Morning Meeting and direct process changes accordingly.
• Support training and participate in qualification of Processors and PSM qualification where necessary within unit.
• Develop expert knowledge within area of responsibility of:
  • Unit operations
  • Process hazards and safeguards, including all interlock actions, purposes and classifications
  • Equipment
  • Procedures– unit and plant
  • Corporate Guidelines, i.e. HHM Guidelines
• Develop working knowledge of:
  • Instrumentation and controls, including Delta V, SIS, Allen Bradley, etc.
  • Engineering Standards
  • Piping specs

• Provide technical resource for off-hours, as needed.
• Provide timely and effective communication, i.e., Night Letter, emails, face-to-face, etc.
• Work effectively with and seek support from plant resources.
• Attend and participate in daily unit MOS and other meetings.
• Support hurricane and emergency preparedness and response per ICP.

TEAM

• Reports to: Operations Unit Manager
• Team Members: Unit Staff

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Fully qualified Processor or Technician with a minimum of five (5) years’ Ascend unit operations experience
• Knowledge of Acrylonitrile process desired

REQUIRED SKILLS

Technical Skills:

• Working experience and knowledge of unit operations.
• Working knowledge of ESSH guidelines and regulatory/compliance issues.
• Working experience with unit control systems
• Working knowledge of MOC process
• Past participation in walkthroughs

Troubleshooting Skills:

• Good process troubleshooting/problem solving skills
• Informal troubleshooting training/experiences

Computer Skills:

• Window-based programs: Email, MS Word, MS Excel, LIMS, J5, SAP

Communication/Facilitation Skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Well-developed facilitation skills
• Strong leadership and teamwork skills

• Self-initiated learning
• Time management processes and skills
• Self-initiated corrective actions/follow-through

Core Competencies and Behaviors

• Gets Results: Consistently meets commitments to the business and to others. Quickly translate business requirements into actions by defining "who does what by when" to ensure plans are executed
• Teamwork and Leadership: Effective collaboration. A confident, mature person with the ability to connect, inspire and influence others without direct reporting relationships. Persistent, confident, and persuasive
• Communication: Effective communicator to all levels in the organization.

Personal Attributes

• Results oriented and customer focused
• Decision Making: Willing to seek input for key decisions along with the ability to prioritize and make decisions.
• Detailed Orientation: Has exceptional attention to detail along with the ability to develop procedures and standard methods
• Leadership: Strong influential leader who is assertive, persistent, and self-confident and is willing and able to insert themselves into conversations without being invited formally
• Multitasking Ability: Adaptable, flexible, and effective in handling multiple priorities simultaneously

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.