Lead Mechanical Planner Alky

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Mechanical Planner – HF Alkylation Unit Job Description

The Mechanical Planner is responsible for planning and coordinating maintenance and turnaround activities for fixed and rotating equipment within the HF Alkylation Unit. This role develops detailed work packages, estimates labor and materials, coordinates internal and contractor resources, ensures strict compliance with refinery safety standards, and supports unit reliability throughout pre-turnaround, turnaround, and post-turnaround phases. The Mechanical Planner plays a key role in schedule optimization, cost and project controls, and effective communication between operations, maintenance, and contractor teams.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate mechanical maintenance and turnaround activities for fixed and rotating equipment within the HF Alkylation Unit.
• Develop detailed work packages that clearly define scope, labor requirements, materials, tools, and safety considerations.
• Estimate labor hours, materials, and other resources required for planned work and support cost control and project controls processes.
• Review and vet work scope with contractors during the pre-turnaround phase to ensure schedule readiness and clarity of expectations.
• Report pre-turnaround work progress to the turnaround team and highlight work that is at risk of extending beyond the pre-turnaround window.
• Participate in shift turnover meetings by zone during turnaround, and attend late work review and risk review meetings as scope changes or discoveries occur.
• Steward the late work and risk review processes, coordinating with contractors and turnaround leadership to manage changes effectively.
• Assist in tracking and reporting progress against target milestones, using earned value, KPIs, and reporting tools to monitor performance.
• Monitor job progress in the field and initiate the removal of barriers that impede the safe, efficient, and effective execution of work.
• Ensure Primavera P6 schedule updates are accurate by performing field checks on reported progress and validating schedule data.
• Own the execution of the schedule and make optimization decisions to maintain or improve turnaround performance.
• Receive job packs and three-day look-ahead schedules, and translate them into clear priorities for execution teams.
• Drive team priorities to minimize negative schedule float and protect critical path activities.
• Ensure all work is fully understood and executed in accordance with safety, health, and environmental rules and regulations.
• Assign work to qualified craft personnel, ensuring appropriate skill sets are matched to job requirements.
• Complete face-to-face shift handovers, discussing safety issues, required actions, prior shift progress, and priorities for the next shift, including critical path work.
• Support Level 3 confined space entry pre-entry meetings, and provide deviation review and coordination as needed.
• Routinely attend contractors’ toolbox meetings at the start of each shift to reinforce safety, quality expectations, and work priorities.
• Assist in mechanical readiness activities for Management of Change (MOC) and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR).
• Audit field work execution against the schedule to verify compliance with planned scope, safety standards, and quality requirements.
• Coordinate execution of late work requests and discovery work through the risk review system.
• Serve as a primary contact for resource conflict decisions, balancing workforce allocation across competing priorities.
• Support contractor demobilization efforts in collaboration with turnaround management, including workforce reporting and approval of skill set changes.
• Aid in the safe removal of assets from the site during post-turnaround activities, maintaining clear communication with contractors and turnaround leadership.
• Contribute to contractor performance evaluations following turnaround completion, providing input on safety, quality, schedule adherence, and overall execution.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience as a mechanical planner or similar role in a refinery, petrochemical, or heavy industrial environment.
• Strong background in planning and coordinating maintenance and turnaround activities for mechanical equipment, including fixed and rotating assets.
• Proficiency with planning tools and systems such as Maximo or equivalent computerized maintenance management systems.
• Experience with turnaround planning and execution, including pre-turnaround, turnaround, and post-turnaround phases.
• Knowledge of cost control and project controls practices, including tracking progress against milestones and budgets.
• Ability to work with Primavera P6 or similar scheduling software to manage detailed turnaround schedules.
• Familiarity with earned value management, key performance indicators (KPIs), and reporting tools for monitoring project performance.
• Solid understanding of refinery safety, health, and environmental standards and the ability to enforce them in the field.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to lead shift handovers, toolbox talks, and coordination meetings with contractors and internal teams.
• Capability to review scope, vet work with contractors, and identify risks that may impact schedule or turnaround windows.
• Ability to monitor field progress, perform schedule validation checks, and remove barriers to safe and efficient work execution.
• Experience coordinating late work and discovery work through structured review and approval processes.
• Demonstrated skill in assigning work to qualified craft personnel and managing resource conflicts effectively.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working specifically in HF Alkylation Units or similar process units is highly beneficial.
• background in mechanical planning for turnaround (TA) environments, including pre-TA and post-TA activities.
• Familiarity with instruments, IPS, and related reporting and control systems used during turnaround and maintenance activities.
• Understanding of Management of Change (MOC) and Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR) processes and mechanical readiness requirements.
• Experience participating in confined space entry (CSE) pre-entry meetings and managing deviations and coordination.
• Exposure to contractor performance evaluation processes and workforce reporting in turnaround or project settings.
• Ability to work collaboratively with turnaround leads, contractors, and cross-functional teams in a high-intensity environment.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills, with attention to detail in work packages, schedules, and progress reporting.

Work Environment

This role operates within a refinery process unit environment, specifically supporting the HF Alkylation Unit during maintenance and turnaround activities. The Mechanical Planner works closely with operations, maintenance, turnaround leadership, and contractor teams in both office and field settings. The position involves regular presence in the field to verify progress, audit work execution, attend toolbox meetings, and participate in safety and coordination sessions. Work hours may vary and can include shift-based work, extended hours, and weekends during turnaround periods to support continuous operations and schedule adherence. The environment is safety-focused, with strict adherence to health, safety, and environmental regulations, structured shift handovers, and formal pre-entry and readiness meetings. The culture emphasizes collaboration, clear communication, and disciplined planning to achieve safe, efficient, and high-quality turnaround outcomes.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Mcpherson, KS.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $70.00 - $80.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Mcpherson,KS.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 15, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on us.fitly.work for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.