Process Technician

Process Technician

Location: Carson, CA

Organizational Context & Job Purpose

The O&P USA business includes the product lines Ethylene, Propylene, Butadiene, Polypropylene and High Density Polyethylene. Manufacturing sites include Chocolate Bayou Works (Alvin, TX), Battleground Manufacturing Complex (La Porte, TX), and Carson, (Carson, CA), with a division office in League City, TX. The Carson, California plant located 25 miles south of Los Angeles began producing polypropylene in 1999. The Carson polypropylene facility is the largest single commodity exporter on the West Coast, and the second largest plastics exporter in the U.S. The Carson plant has the logistical advantage of dispatching products to customers directly from the facility via several delivery modes: railcar, bulk truck and packages. Less than ten miles from the port of Long Beach, the facility generates high-volume export business for INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA.

Purpose of the job:

The Process Technician is responsible for the safe and efficient day-to-day operation of the facilities. The Process Technician operates equipment in production systems, monitors equipment, and obtains routine samples of products. The Process Technician also carries out cleaning, maintenance, and minor repair work in the processing units.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Collaborate with Engineering to optimize production, troubleshoot process upsets and equipment problems.
• Routine, daily monitoring of plant conditions. Monitoring of process indicators/gauges such as temperatures, pressures, levels, and inventories.
• Make observations in unit for any leaks or equipment failures that may create a hazard or cause inefficiency.
• Understand and execute daily tasks in accordance with Operator Expectations
• Participate in various shift meetings (i.e. shift turn over, morning meetings, process optimization meetings, etc.)
• Perform inspections and maintenance of rotating equipment such as pumps and compressors. Ensure all required preventive maintenance is complete.
• Generate electronic work requests for required maintenance repairs.
• Required to maintain a constant awareness of personal safety and the safety of other personnel.
• Prepare equipment for maintenance work and assist maintenance personnel in plant repairs including removing and installing valves, pumps, control units, etc. Safe isolation and preparation of equipment for maintenance repair.
• Must be able to work with others is a positive and professional manner to resolve unit issues.
• Installing and removing piping systems, cut-off valves, etc., as required, using proper tools.
• Perform quality-related jobs such as investigating, documenting and providing corrective action.
• Read and interpret P&IDs.
• Ability to operate process using plant Distributive Control System (DCS).
• Computer tasks up to 2 hours per day.
• Review policies and procedures annually or per required frequency if different.
• Co-train fellow process technicians per training and qualification requirements.
• Assists in performing safety reviews, SURF observations, safety audits, and incident investigations.
• Assist in emergency response situations.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• Preferred candidates would have 2 or more years directly related experience as an Operator in a chemical plant, refinery, or gas processing plant OR have successfully completed a 2-year Associate's Degree in Process Technology, Operations.
• Experience operating a Distributed Control System (DCS) is a plus.
• Computer Skills: E-mail, SAP, Word, Excel and PowerPoint experience preferred.
• Experience using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) preferred.
• Experience following safety procedures, including OSHA standards preferred.
• Candidates will be administered a battery of tests to demonstrate adequate skills and knowledge for the job.

Physical Requirements

• Positions are on shift work, working 12-hour shifts, rotating between days and nights (including weekends) with some overtime required.
• Working holidays and working overtime to provide shift coverage required.
• Willing and able to work in a safe but sometimes extreme environment. For example, parts of the plant may be accessible only via narrow platforms and walkways, tall ladders and/or steep stairs. Conditions will sometimes be hot, cold, loud, elevated, confined, smelly and/or dirty.
• Willing and able to perform physically demanding work which may include standing and/or walking for long periods of time, lifting and carrying heavy objects (e.g., fire extinguisher) and entering confined spaces.
• Candidates will be administered a battery of tests to demonstrate adequate physical ability to safely perform all aspects of the job.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs, exert up to 50 lbs of force occasionally, up to 30 lbs of force frequently, and up to 10 lbs of force constantly to move objects.
• Must have ability to see written documents, computer screens and to adjust focus.
• Must be able to hear/perceive nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Must have the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and make discriminations in sound with and without protective hearing as required.