Plant Engineer

Location Kent, WA - S. 222nd St. - ASU Pay and Schedule Pay: $95,000–$110,000 + Bonus Work Schedule: Primarily Monday‑Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, with on‑call as needed Travel: 10–20 % required to support regional facilities and attend training Comprehensive Family Benefits Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance 14‑week paid child birth benefit 401(k) with company match, Tuition Assistance, Paid Holidays, Vacation, Sick time Benefits start after 30 days of employment Recruiter Tina Kratochwill – View email address on click.appcast.io Job Summary The Plant Engineer provides hands‑on technical expertise, mechanical engineering support, and operational oversight for the Kent Air Separation Unit (ASU) and regional nitrogen production plant. This role is responsible for maximizing plant reliability, optimizing energy efficiency, executing capital expenditure projects, and maintaining strict regulatory compliance, while blending analytical deep‑dives with physical troubleshooting to keep critical cryogenic processing systems operating safely and efficiently. Responsibilities Act as the primary on‑site technical expert for all processing equipment, including compressors, pumps, turbines, storage vessels, and the coldbox. Lead the plant’s Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and failure investigations to eliminate critical asset downtime and establish long‑term preventative fixes. Monitor and interpret plant performance data, key performance indicators (KPIs), and diagnostic readouts to identify efficiency degradation or mechanical strain before failures occur. Understand process control variables (purity, flow, thermal gradients) to maintain equilibrium inside the cryogenic coldbox. Ensure full plant compliance with OSHA, EPA, FDA, cGMP, and internal EHS guidelines, relating to pressure relief devices, hazardous fluid handling, gas detection systems, etc. Oversee and execute engineering plans for complex operational windows such as maintenance outages, equipment overhauls, or plant restarts/thaws. Serve as a core technical contributor to PHA studies (including HAZOP reviews). Identify potential process safety hazards, evaluate risk mitigation safeguards, and track timely resolution of action items. Design and execute minor‑to‑mid‑size capital projects targeting efficiency and modernizing plant infrastructure, including design, approval, quotation, and execution. Manage contractors, third‑party consultants, and vendor technicians during installation, checkout, and final commissioning phases. Lead and manage the site’s MOC process, ensuring all technical, equipment, and procedural modifications undergo rigorous engineering review, safety assessment, documentation updates, and pre‑startup safety reviews (PSSR) before implementation. Interpret, review, and update plant documentation, including Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), process logic sheets, interlock matrices, and equipment specifications. Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks, shifting priorities effectively between long‑term engineering projects and immediate daily plant operational needs. Qualifications Required Qualifications B.S. in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical) preferred. 3–5 + years of operational or project engineering experience required. Ability to provide on‑call technical assistance to plant personnel. Technical knowledge of high‑pressure fluid systems, rotating equipment, thermodynamics, and PLC‑controlled automation frameworks. Physical capabilities: move around an active industrial site, stand or walk for long periods, scale vertical structures, and lift up to 25 lb. Preferred Qualifications Specific expertise operating or maintaining cryogenic air separation units (ASUs) and handling bulk liquid nitrogen/oxygen systems. Experience using Maximo, SAP, or similar CMMS for predictive maintenance workflows. Proficiency reading logic maps for Allen‑Bradley or Siemens platforms and diagnosing control loop discrepancies. Benefits Medical, dental, and vision plans; short‑term and long‑term disability; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); pre‑tax commuter transportation benefit; parental leave; vacation; sick time; floating holidays; jury duty and funeral/bereavement leave; paid holidays for all eligible full‑time employees. Additionally, employees receive a 401(k) plan with company matching, tuition reimbursement, discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents, and an Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children. Your Differences Enhance Our Performance At Airgas, we are committed to building a workplace that embraces the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world. Equal Employment Opportunity Information We are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Airgas, an Air Liquide Company, is a Government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Airgas does not discriminate against qualified applicants with disabilities, and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to the known disabilities of such individuals so as to ensure equal access to benefits and privileges of employment. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact us by email at us‑View email address on click.appcast.io. California Privacy Notice California privacy notice text … #J-18808-Ljbffr Airgas, Inc.