Associate Process Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $8.1 billion in revenue for 2025, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast-track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential related building projects.
About LJC
LJC Design & Engineering (LJC) is a full-service architecture, engineering, and design firm committed to enhancing the quality of the human experience through integrated design. We are a team of high-energy professionals who share a passion for design, a collaborative approach, and a casual culture. We solve challenges by leveraging the collective expertise and ingenuity of the best and brightest minds across development, design, engineering, and construction.

The Role We Want You For
This role is ideal for a highly technical engineering leader with strong industrial process knowledge, sound engineering judgment, and an entrepreneurial mindset. You will lead process design efforts for complex industrial projects, collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver safe, efficient, and innovative process solutions that align with our clients’ operational goals.

The Specifics of the Role

• Lead process engineering design efforts for pet food, meat processing, and industrial manufacturing projects
• Develop project scopes and establish process design basis documentation
• Create and review Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), material balances, and Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
• Specify process mechanical equipment and support instrumentation design activities
• Collaborate with discipline leads to ensure successful implementation of process designs across all project phases
• Interpret plant operating data and develop process solutions, often utilizing engineering assumptions and judgment in early project stages
• Ensure process systems are designed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with client operational requirements
• Utilize and enhance internal engineering tools and standards to support execution efficiency
• Perform process calculations and simulations using software such as AFT Fathom, AFT Arrow, HTRI, and similar process engineering tools
• Coordinate with vendors, clients, and internal teams to support equipment selection, process integration, and project execution
• Support construction, commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting activities as needed
• Mentor junior engineering staff and contribute to the development of engineering best practices

Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering from an ABET-accredited university or college
• 8–15+ years of experience in process engineering within industrial manufacturing environments
• Successfully passed the Professional Engineer (PE) exam
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles, industrial systems, and process safety
• Experience developing PFDs, P&IDs, process calculations, and equipment specifications
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing or lean process methodologies
• Experience with field construction support, commissioning, and process startup activities preferred
• Strong engineering judgment and ability to design effectively with incomplete or evolving information
• Excellent communication, leadership, and collaboration skills
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, design-build environment.
  

Some Things You Should Know

• Our clients and projects are nationwide
  
• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does
  
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs
• The pace is fast
  

Why Clayco and LJC?

• 2025 Best Places to Work – St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
  
• 2025 ENR Top 400 – Top Data Center Contractor (Top 3).
  
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms – Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
  
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors – Green Contractor (Top 3).

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.