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Refinery Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Swoon Staffing

Refinery Data Engineer

Dallas, TX · Remote

$45 - $47.33/hr

Title: Refinery Data Engineer Location: 100% remote-flex with time zones Type: Contract Pay: $45-47.33/hour on w2 Length: 8+ months- expected to end at end of year but possibility to extend ...

Twin Rivers Technologies

Refinery Operator

Quincy, MA · On-site

$22 - $26/hr

A Refinery Technician mans a computerized control system on one or more of the refinery systems ... Support and participate in Maintenance and Engineering teams problems. * Perform Lockout Tag Out ...

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Refinery Engineer information

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$59.5K

$111.6K

$203K

How much do refinery engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for refinery engineer in the United States is $111,632.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $80,500.00 and $132,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Refinery Engineers?

Refinery Engineers are professionals who design, operate, and optimize processes in oil refineries to convert crude oil into usable products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. They are responsible for ensuring the efficiency, safety, and environmental compliance of refinery operations. Their duties often include troubleshooting equipment, improving process performance, and implementing new technologies to maximize output and minimize waste. Refinery Engineers typically have a background in chemical or process engineering and work closely with other engineers, operators, and maintenance personnel.

What engineers make $500,000 a year?

Highly experienced engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum, aerospace, or software engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, often through a combination of base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Senior roles requiring advanced skills, certifications, and leadership responsibilities are typically associated with such high compensation levels.

What is the difference between Refinery Engineer vs Process Engineer?

AspectRefinery EngineerProcess Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Chemical, Mechanical, or Petroleum Engineering; Professional Engineer (PE) license often preferredBachelor's in Chemical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering; PE license optional
Work EnvironmentRefineries, petrochemical plants, industrial facilitiesManufacturing plants, chemical processing facilities, industrial settings
Industry UsagePrimarily in oil refining and petrochemical industriesBroader across manufacturing, chemical, and process industries

Refinery Engineers focus specifically on oil refining processes, safety, and optimization within refineries, while Process Engineers work across various industries to improve manufacturing processes. Both roles require similar technical skills and credentials but differ mainly in industry focus and work environment.

What does a refinery engineer do?

A refinery engineer designs, develops, and oversees the processes used to convert crude oil into usable products like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. They monitor equipment, optimize operations for safety and efficiency, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations, often using control systems and requiring technical certifications. Their work environment is typically a refinery or chemical plant, and they may work shifts to maintain continuous operations.

What are some typical challenges Refinery Engineers face when working on process optimization projects?

Refinery Engineers often encounter challenges such as balancing process efficiency with safety and environmental regulations, integrating new technologies with legacy systems, and troubleshooting complex process issues. Coordinating with multidisciplinary teams—like operations, maintenance, and environmental compliance—is essential to ensure changes are practical and sustainable. Adaptability and strong communication skills are key, as process optimization projects can involve shifting priorities and tight deadlines.

Can you make $200,000 a year as a mechanical engineer?

Refinery engineers, a specialized type of mechanical engineer, can potentially earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and working in high-paying industries or locations. However, typical salaries vary based on factors such as geographic region, level of expertise, and employer size, with many earning between $80,000 and $150,000 per year.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior refinery engineers, especially those with extensive experience, specialized skills, and advanced certifications, can earn $300,000 or more annually. High salaries are often associated with leadership roles, complex projects, or working in high-cost-of-living areas within the energy and petrochemical industries.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Refinery Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Refinery Engineer, you need a solid background in chemical or mechanical engineering, process optimization, and safety standards, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with process simulation software (such as Aspen HYSYS), industry regulations, and certifications like Professional Engineer (PE) licensure are commonly expected. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and effective communication skills set outstanding engineers apart in managing complex operations. These abilities are crucial for ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective refinery performance in a highly regulated industry.
More about Refinery Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Refinery Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Refinery Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Refinery Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Refinery Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Refinery Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Refinery Engineer jobs are:
Refinery Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Refinery Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,632 per year, or $53.7 per hour.
Refinery Data Engineer

Refinery Data Engineer

Swoon Staffing

Dallas, TX • Remote

$45 - $47.33/hr

Contractor

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Re-posted 9 days ago

Job description

REMOTE 8+ month contract for a Refinery Data Engineer role with a leading oil/energy client. APPLY NOW!!!!

Title: Refinery Data Engineer

Location: 100% remote-flex with time zones

Type: Contract

Pay: $45-47.33/hour on w2

Length: 8+ months- expected to end at end of year but possibility to extend

Screenings: no tech, full panel drug and background once hired

IV process: 1-2 round(s)

+optional benefits, long term contract with ability to extend or convert to full time

Required Qualifications

  • Direct experience working with refinery PIDs equipment lists and process flow documentation.
  • Familiarity with PI Systems PI tags PI AF hierarchies templates and live process data streams common in refining operations.
  •  Strong understanding of refinery process equipment and instrumentation including transmitters analyzers control valves switches interlocks and safety systems.
  • Proficiency with Excel or other data processing tools commonly used for engineering data management.
  • High attention to detail with the ability to navigate complex refinery documentation and identify inconsistencies.
  • Experience in a technical role such as engineering within a refinery
  • ideally 1-2 years experience configuring PI Asset Framework

We are seeking a detail driven Data Engineer with experience in petroleum refining operations to support our instrumentation asset tracking and real-time data integration. This role focuses on extracting equipment and instrument details from refinery Piping Instrumentation Diagrams PIDs structuring asset relationships and mapping them to PI tags to create hierarchies that can be used in other systems.

Responsibilities

- Scrape interpret and organize data from refinery PIDs and equipment data sheets including complex systems such as crude units hydrotreaters reformers FCC units hydrocrackers cokers sulfur plants utilities etc.

- Identify and catalog refinery equipment-pumps compressors exchangers reactors columns furnaces instrumentation etc.

- Associate instrumentation with process equipment ensuring accurate linkage of instruments to a corresponding asset variable for hierarchies.

- Map instruments to PI Asset Framework Attributes to enable mapping of flow temperature pressure level composition and equipment health

- Add Mapped PI Tags to deployed PI Asset Framework and deploy/manage calculation deployment.

- Perform data validation and quality checks ensuring equipment identifiers tag numbers and signal paths match refinery documentation and field data.

- Work closely with HF Sinclair team to resolve discrepancies and confirm correct data associations.

- Support standardization of naming conventions tag structures and documentation aligned with refinery engineering practices

- Provide information on status of completeness of work as a percentage.