Process Development Engineer Jobs in Arkansas (NOW HIRING)

Peaks Renewables is a growing renewables platform that develops, acquires, owns, and operates renewable fuels facilities utilizing a range of different feedstocks and technology types. Peaks' primary focus is in the renewable natural gas vertical including landfill gas and biogas from processing agricultural waste and food waste using anaerobic digestion and gasification. Peaks’ goal is to reduce emissions while creating economic growth and providing access to clean, safe, dependable, and affordable energy solutions. Peaks is a subsidiary of Summit Utilities, Inc., which was named one of the Best Places to Work in Maine 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and Best Places to Work in Arkansas 2020 and 2023, Oklahoma 2022 and 2023 and Missouri 2023. Summit was also recently named one of Forbes 2023 America’s Best Small Employers.

Being part of the Peaks team means embracing excellence and innovation. We are building a best-in-class platform and are looking for driven, entrepreneurial team members who are energized by the idea of helping scale a growing business.

Summit is a growing natural gas utility providing safe, reliable, and clean burning natural gas service to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Being part of the Summit team means embracing excellence and innovation, committing to safety each and every day, and doing all that we can to serve each other, our customers, and the communities where we live. We aim to bring warmth and energy to everything we do.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Technology and Process Engineer. This role may be hybrid-based in one of our offices in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri or Maine, or fully remote in Texas.

POSITION SUMMARY

This role will support technology and process innovation in advancing the organization’s renewable gas portfolio by leading technology diligence, process improvements, early‑stage feasibility analysis, and technical oversight of third-party consultants & contractors. This role focuses on developing and maintaining internal evaluation tools, reviewing third-party process and design deliverables, and making key design and safety recommendations that improve project feasibility, asset performance, and technology deployments, with a primary near‑term focus on AD and biogas upgrading and an emerging focus on synthetic gas processing. The position requires a hands‑on process, chemical, or biological engineer who is effective at working cross‑functionally with internal teams and external partners to ensure high‑quality, safe, and economically sound technologies and processes are developed and deployed across the organization’s renewable gas portfolio.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Perform process design evaluation and modeling for renewable gas systems, including anaerobic digestion, biogas upgrading, and synthetic gas production, focusing on early‑stage project screening and feasibility evaluations.
• Own the development and maintenance of internal process models and standard design tools/templates (e.g., sizing tools, PFDs, calculation templates) to evaluate project opportunities to support project development.
• Manage programs, contractors, and consultants responsible for producing technical and process design deliverables. Complete detailed reviews of work and provide design, process, and safety recommendations.
• Perform technology diligence and vendor evaluation for anaerobic digestion, biogas upgrading, and synthetic gas production/cleanup/conditioning technologies by reviewing process design information, performance guarantees, operating envelopes, and integration requirements.
• Engage with cross-functional teams tasked with screening project economics and feasibility assessments in accordance with development budgets and provide technical input to guide early‑stage project development, including:
  • performing site evaluations
  • developing conceptual configurations
  • review of preliminary process design deliverables (PFD’s, H&MB, equipment sizing)
  • process risk identification.
  • other process‑related inputs while accounting for cost and constructability
• Assist with the management, oversight, and guidance of EPCs and engineering service providers who participate in strategic programs and/or deliver owner’s engineering, detailed design, and construction support, ensuring alignment with internal standards, safety expectations, and objectives.
• Provide technical input on relevant provisions in third-party contractual agreements, assisting the Manager of Technology & Process Innovation and other internal stakeholders to negotiate robust and realistic commitments.
• Identify and develop process‑related KPIs, monitoring tools, and standard methodologies that can be adopted by operations, plant engineering, and asset management teams to track performance and drive continuous improvement across the renewable gas portfolio.
• Contribute engineering insights and standardized tools that inform the renewable gas technology roadmap, including technical design & process standards and preferred technology configurations.
• Work closely with project managers, operations, plant engineers, asset managers, financial analysts, and other internal stakeholders to align process assumptions, technical design decisions, and optimize project opportunities with real‑world performance and business needs.
• Communicate technical design and process considerations, risks, and tradeoffs clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders, including summarizing complex third-party deliverables into clear recommendations for decision‑makers.
• Travel 25–50% of the time to project sites, engineering offices, and vendor locations to support development activities, design reviews, commissioning, and operational optimizations, as needed.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• ABET accredited Bachelor’s engineering degree required with core focus in chemical, process, or biological engineering preferred.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in an appropriate discipline (e.g., Chemical, Environmental) or ability to obtain licensure within a reasonable timeframe is preferred.
• 3–5+ years of relevant experience in process engineering with exposure to biogas, renewable natural gas (RNG), anaerobic digestion, synthetic gas, gas processing, or closely related process industries required.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to the generation of technical process design deliverables (e.g., PFDs, P&IDs, hydraulic calculations, equipment sizing).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Experience working with or managing EPCs, engineering consultants, or equipment vendors on process design and implementation for industrial, infrastructure, or energy projects is preferred.
• Strong understanding of process engineering fundamentals, including mass and energy balances, fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, and reaction/biological processes relevant to renewable gas systems.
• Familiarity with biogas and synthetic systems, including anaerobic digestion processes, biogas cleaning and upgrading technologies (membrane, PSA, scrubbing), and syngas production, cleanup, and conditioning.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain internal process models and screening tools (e.g., robust spreadsheet‑based calculations or similar) to support early‑stage project evaluation. Exposure to higher‑end process modeling/simulators (e.g., Aspen, HYSYS, or equivalent) preferred.
• Experience in reviewing and critiquing process deliverables prepared by others (PFDs, P&IDs, equipment datasheets, control philosophies, hydraulics) and translating those into clear recommendations.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with experience using operating or test data to stress‑test assumptions, identify process risks, and inform design and optimization recommendations.
• Effective communicator with the ability to explain process concepts, constraints, and risks clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences, summarize complex contractor reports, and contribute meaningfully to cross‑functional decision‑making forums.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with operations, engineering project managers, plant engineers, analysts, asset managers, and commercial teams, acting as a technical bridge between external engineering resources and internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects, design reviews, and analytical tasks concurrently while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines in a dynamic, growing renewable gas business.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.

Summit offers competitive pay and medical/dental/vision and other benefits that provide flexibility, choice and support to our employees when they need it most. We understand that home and family are essential pieces of your life, and our benefits are designed to support you both at work and at home.

Summit Utilities, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or veteran status.