Production Engineer

Production Engineer – Specialty Ingredients Ashland has an exciting opportunity for a Production Engineer to join our Specialty Ingredients G.P. business at our Hopewell, VA location. This is a very visible, significant role within the company and within the Plant Engineering and Operations functions. This position will report to the Natrosol (HEC) Operations Manager. The Production Engineer will support the Natrosol manufacturing process to achieve targets in safety, production, compliance, and quality. Maintain a presence in the operating area and with operators to resolve daily issues and drive continuous improvement. Key Responsibilities Identify, develop, and drive or assist in the implementation of continuous improvement solutions using lean manufacturing techniques/tools for the entire HEC unit value stream with focus on First Pass Quality (FPQ), optimized operability, increased throughput, elimination of bottlenecks and single point failures. Analyze, develop, and implement systems and processes to drive daily optimized quality and stable operating conditions of the HEC unit. Provide technical expertise and knowledge base transfer to HEC unit Supervisor/Operations Manager and operators. Create production schedules and Finished Product Blend sheets for the HEC Unit. Collaborate to expand and support the implementation of Ashland Production System throughout the HEC department. Develop and standardize metrics for the continuous improvement of the HEC unit. Provide technical expertise in the review and improvement of the HEC unit procedures, WI, forms, and all other documents. Work with Process Engineers to determine root cause of chronic operating problems. Support the improvement of the current training system for HEC operators. Provide technical support for capital projects in the HEC unit. Participate and provide technical expertise in HEC unit PHAs and CDAs. Provide Management of Change (MOC) support for the HEC unit. Provide effective technical support during HEC planned shutdowns and restarts. Be a positive contributor to the safety and environmental programs of the Hopewell plant. Maintain environmental compliance while continually pursuing waste minimization. Analyze production and quality data to determine optimum operating conditions. Qualifications Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering, Pulp & Paper, Mechanical, or equivalent. 5-10 years’ chemical plant manufacturing experience. Must be able to handle multiple projects concurrently and work in a team environment. Delta‑V and SAP experience. Preferred Skills Previous experience in Production Operations. Previous Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) batch manufacturing experience. Previous experience working within a union environment. Hazard Analysis - HAZOP, PHA, ISO Systems. Experience in or knowledge of using Lean Six Sigma processes. Excellent written and oral communications. Proven data analysis and problem‑solving skills. Proven planning and organization skills. Proven self‑starter with urgency for delivering results. Equal Opportunity Employer Ashland is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP