Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical & Small Project Engineer

About Blue Tide

Blue Tide is building a network of used motor oil (UMO) re-refining facilities across North America, and its Baytown, Texas facility is complete and operating. The Baytown facility is designed to process 5,000 barrels per day of used motor oil into Group II+ base oils, along with co-products such as gas oil and asphalt modifiers. Its process unit includes one of the largest hydrotreaters in the re-refining industry. Blue Tide is a Tailwater Capital portfolio company and developed the facility with Pennzoil-Quaker State, a Shell subsidiary.

Position Summary

The Mechanical & Small Project Engineer is the Baytown site’s in-house static equipment and mechanical engineering resource as well as acting as project engineering for small projects. The role reports to the Engineering & Technology Manager. The ideal candidate has about 10 years of experience and a static equipment background, combined with project engineering, maintenance, or turnaround experience.

Roles & Responsibilities

Static equipment engineering (primary)

• Act as the site’s technical authority for static equipment, including pressure vessels, columns, heat exchangers, piping, tanks, and relief devices.
• Support mechanical integrity: inspection planning, corrosion monitoring, fitness-for-service and remaining-life assessments, and repair or replacement recommendations, including for hydro processing and sour service.
• Review inspection findings with inspectors, operations, and maintenance, and recommend run, repair, or replace decisions.
• Lead troubleshooting and root cause analysis of static equipment failures and leaks.
• Review and approve mechanical designs, drawings, datasheets, and vendor documents, and provide technical review for management of change including major projects.

Small project engineering (secondary)

• Scope, estimate, and design small capital and maintenance projects, including cost and schedule. The project size would be up to 500k$.
• Manage engineering contractors and vendors, and oversee fabrication, installation, and commissioning.
• Complete project close-out, including updated drawings and documentation.

Maintenance and turnaround support (as experience allows)

• Help develop turnaround and maintenance work scopes and work packages.
• Provide technical support during execution, including field engineering decisions and inspection follow-up.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• About 10 years of engineering experience, with a static equipment background in a refinery, petrochemical, or similar process facility.
• Working knowledge of the codes and standards used for static equipment design, inspection, and repair.

Preferred (at least one): Candidates are not expected to meet every item below but should at least have one

• Small project engineering experience, from scope through commissioning.
• Maintenance experience supporting a process facility.
• Turnaround experience, from planning through execution.