Project Engineer

Title: Project Engineer - Refinery

Location: Downers Grove, IL / Lemont, IL

Shift: 1st Shift

Hire Type: Long Term Open-Ended Contract (Multi-Year, No End Date)

Pay Rate: $50-80 per hour

Compensation & Benefits

As a contract employee of Sterling Engineering, you'll receive a full, competitive benefits package, including:

• Three Medical Plan Options
• Dental & Vision Coverage
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Paid Time Off & Paid Holidays

This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer who enjoys owning projects from initial scope development through construction, commissioning, and startup. You'll work alongside multidisciplinary engineering, operations, construction, reliability, and process teams while gaining valuable experience with capital project execution, cost management, safety, and large-scale industrial infrastructure.

If you're looking for a role where you can take real ownership of projects, work with experienced technical teams, and see your engineering decisions implemented in the field, this is an excellent opportunity.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and execute assigned capital projects from scope development through commissioning and startup
• Develop and maintain project scope, budgets, schedules, cost forecasts, and performance objectives
• Coordinate multidisciplinary project teams including Process Engineering, Electrical/Instrumentation, Reliability, Operations, Construction, and other technical groups
• Monitor project costs, cash flow, schedules, and overall project performance
• Manage project change orders and maintain effective scope and cost control
• Oversee outside engineering resources, contractors, and material quality requirements
• Execute detailed engineering design activities and support major equipment and material purchases
• Develop and maintain project documentation in accordance with established stage-gate processes
• Lead the Management of Change (MOC) process for assigned projects
• Lead Pre-Start-up Safety Reviews (PSSRs) to ensure projects are safely prepared for startup
• Support construction, commissioning, and startup activities to verify proper installation and project requirements
• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, environmental, regulatory, cost, schedule, and performance objectives

Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or related engineering discipline
• Must have 5+ years of Project Engineering experience in a petroleum or chemical refinery
• Experience managing engineering or capital projects from concept through execution
• Strong understanding of project scope, cost, scheduling, and change management
• Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary engineering and operations teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with PV Elite and/or CAESAR II
• Familiarity with industry codes such as ASME Section XIII and ASME B31.3
• Any responsibility for directly reviewing or actually doing pipe stress or pressure vessel analysis

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.