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Refineries Jobs in Louisiana (NOW HIRING)

$41.67/hr

As an Electrical Engineer at a Marathon refinery, you can expect to become familiar with industry codes and best practices, build critical thinking skills, and gain an understanding of how all ...

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Refineries information

What is a refinery?

Refineries are industrial facilities where raw materials like crude oil are processed and transformed into usable products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, and petrochemicals. The refining process involves separating, converting, and purifying the various components found in crude oil through methods like distillation, cracking, and treatment. Refineries play a crucial role in the energy supply chain, providing essential fuels and materials for transportation, manufacturing, and daily life. They operate under strict safety and environmental regulations to minimize their impact on people and the environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a refinery operator?

To thrive as a Refinery Operator, you need a solid understanding of chemical processes, mechanical aptitude, and typically a high school diploma or relevant technical training. Familiarity with distributed control systems (DCS), process monitoring software, and adherence to safety protocols is crucial. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication help operators excel in dynamic team environments. These skills are vital to ensure the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of complex refinery processes.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in refineries, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in refineries often face challenges such as maintaining strict safety standards, managing complex equipment, and adapting to rapidly changing operational demands. Working in a refinery environment requires vigilance to prevent accidents, strong teamwork skills for coordinating with various departments, and the ability to troubleshoot technical issues under pressure. Continuous training, adherence to safety protocols, and open communication with colleagues are key strategies for overcoming these challenges and ensuring a safe, efficient work environment.

What is the difference between Refineries vs Chemical Plant Operators?

AspectRefineriesChemical Plant Operators
CredentialsHigh school diploma, technical training, certifications in refinery processesHigh school diploma, technical training, certifications in chemical operations
Work EnvironmentOil refineries, industrial plants, often outdoors or in hazardous conditionsChemical manufacturing plants, indoor and outdoor settings
Industry UsagePrimarily in oil and gas industryAcross chemical manufacturing sectors

Refineries and chemical plant operators share similar certifications and work environments, but refineries focus on processing crude oil into fuels, while chemical plant operators handle various chemical production processes. Both roles are essential in industrial settings and require technical expertise, but they serve different industry segments.

Is it hard to get a refinery job?

Refinery jobs can be competitive due to the specialized skills and safety certifications required, such as OSHA training and process safety management. Candidates with relevant technical experience, education, and a strong safety record often have better chances of securing employment in this industry.

What are popular job titles related to Refineries jobs in Louisiana?

For Refineries jobs in Louisiana, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Refineries jobs in Louisiana look for?

The top searched job categories for Refineries jobs in Louisiana are:

What cities in Louisiana are hiring for Refineries jobs?

Cities in Louisiana with the most Refineries job openings:

Infographic showing various Refineries job openings in Louisiana as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 8% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 94% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution.

Manager Refinery Optimization - Meraux

Meraux, LA • On-site


Valero
Oil and Gas Extraction • 5 - 10K employees

6.2

Company rating: 6.2 out of 10

Based on 71 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

69th of 87 rated oil and gas companies

People enjoy working here

Recommended by students

Paid breaks


Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Re-posted 4 days ago


Job description

Valero is the best-in-class producer of essential fuels and products that are foundational to modern life. We invite you to join our ~10,000 employees to drive exceptional results for our company, the energy industry and our community.

As a Manager Refinery Optimization - Meraux, you will be responsible for leading the Refinery Scheduling and Planning team, including the planning engineer, schedulers, and blenders, while providing backup support for planning and scheduling activities, including execution of optimization models.

At Valero, we are committed to advancing the future of energy through innovation, ingenuity and unmatched execution. You can help achieve this goal if you can:

  • Identify opportunities to improve refinery optimization and overall profitability.
  • Review the monthly Refinery Operating Plan (ROP) and communicate plans with Corporate Planning & Economics and refinery operations.
  • Provide input into the refinery's Strategic Plan development.
  • Issue weekly operating instructions; establish optimal unit targets; plan for turnarounds; approve new feedstocks; and identify economic opportunities.
  • Communicate daily with Corporate Planning & Economics on refinery status, key constraints, and opportunities.
  • Review economic analyses prepared by the Planning Engineer and gain Corporate Planning & Economics approval prior to implementation.
  • Perform and support daily scheduling activities across all process units (e.g., FCC, Alkylation, CCR, hydrotreating, hydrocracking, coking), including operating guidance and product disposition.
  • Manage refinery planning and economics staff, including performance feedback, coaching, career development, and evaluations.
  • Collaborate with Corporate Regional Optimization Engineers to capture optimization synergies across refineries.
  • Provide timely, cost-effective guidance to Operations on plan variances and real-time decision-making.
  • Facilitate daily operating signals based on market conditions and unit configuration.
  • Provide economic and technical expertise for refinery capital projects across all phases, including scoping, design, execution, and startup; support project reviews and presentations to senior management. 

This position is salaried exempt status, which means you are not eligible for overtime pay.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Bachelor's or higher level degree in Engineering, required.
  • 10 years of refinery experience, required.
  • Experience using AVEVA Spiral LP model and/or other linear programming/optimization software/techniques, required.
  • Experience or familiarity with refinery scheduling work processes and methodology, required.
  • Able and willing to work in a collaborative, on-site work environment, in-person at the Valero Meraux Refinery, required.

Preferred Requirements: 

  • B.S in Chemical Engineering, preferred.
  • Experience or familiarity with gasoline blending/scheduling work processes and methodology, including an understanding of the math/calculations related to the use of gasoline blend correlations, preferred.
  • Experience with day-to-day use of Aspen Petroleum Scheduler (APS) scheduling tools, preferred.

Need more reasons to work for a company that is both professionally challenging and culturally rewarding?  Take a look at some of our best-in-class benefits:

  • Competitive Pay and Annual Bonus Program
  • 100% match on 401(K) up to 7%, with immediate vesting
  • Company-sponsored Pension Plan
  • Comprehensive Healthcare and Wellness Program

Benefits described above are highlights only, subject to an employee's eligibility and work location.

Discover more about Meraux and how we're making a difference there.

All successful candidates must be eligible to obtain a TWIC card (Transportation Worker Identification Credential). It is Valero's policy that employees must wear this card at all times while working at the refinery. Please review eligibility criteria at https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/twic.

Position level and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Valero's employees and team-focused culture drive our success. We're invested in our dedicated workforce through a comprehensive, customizable benefits package, while supporting a caring culture that delivers a rewarding work environment built on teamwork, excellence and career growth. To explore the ways we build a stronger team, visit Valero.com/Careers.

Valero is an EEO Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected status, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Please be advised, if you are viewing this position on a website that lists an estimated salary rate/range, it was not provided by Valero.  Valero's market specific salary rate/range will be provided during the recruiting process and tends to be higher than what is estimated by such websites.  

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