Senior Plant Operator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Linden Cogeneration Plant is a 980 MW natural gas combined-cycle cogeneration facility located within a major refinery in Linden, NJ. In addition to generating electricity, the plant provides process steam to the refinery. The plant is equipped with five GE 7EA gas turbine generators and one GE 7FA gas turbine generator, each exhausting into a Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). The HRSGs are connected to a common steam header, which supplies steam to three steam turbines and the adjacent refinery.

Opportunity Summary

The Senior (Sr) Plant Manager provides strategic leadership for the safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation of the Linden Cogeneration Plant, ensuring reliable electric generation and process steam production. The position is accountable for overall plant performance, including operations, maintenance, engineering, safety, environmental compliance, financial performance, and commercial obligations.

As the senior site leader, the Sr. Plant Manager promotes a strong safety culture, builds collaborative relationships with union leadership, the Owner, steam & electric hosts, and regulatory agencies, and develops a high-performing workforce. The role drives operational excellence, continuous improvement, and reliable plant performance while ensuring compliance and operational discipline.

Your scope of responsibility as Sr. Plant Manager includes the following primary functions:

• Provide strategic leadership for all plant activities by setting performance expectations, promoting accountability, and ensuring management systems and procedures support safe, reliable, compliant, and efficient operations.
• Champion a world-class safety, health, and environmental culture by ensuring compliance with Process Safety Management (PSM), environmental, regulatory, contractual, labor, and reporting requirements while promoting safe work practices and environmental stewardship.
• Lead and develop a high-performing union workforce by fostering collaborative labor-management relations, administering the collective bargaining agreement, and promoting employee development and workforce competency.
• Direct and integrate all plant functions, including Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Reliability, Chemistry, Environmental, Supply Chain, Training, and Administration, to optimize asset performance, efficiency, and reliability.
• Ensure the reliable production of electricity and process steam by optimizing the performance of combined-cycle generating units and associated systems to meet customer and commercial commitments.
• Maintain strategic partnerships with the Owner, steam & electric hosts, union leadership, regulatory agencies, contractors, suppliers, and community stakeholders to support safe, reliable operations and business objectives.
• Oversee plant risk management processes, including Management of Change (MOC), operational readiness, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity, and operational discipline to ensure safe and effective implementation of operational changes.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement by establishing performance metrics, monitoring key performance indicators, and implementing data-driven best practices to enhance safety, reliability, efficiency, and overall performance.
• Lead outage planning and execution by directing scheduled outages, major maintenance activities, capital projects, and emergent repairs to achieve safety, quality, schedule, cost, generation, and refinery steam supply objectives.
• Develop and execute long-term asset management strategies by prioritizing capital investments, equipment upgrades, lifecycle planning, and reliability initiatives to maximize asset availability and performance.
• Administer commercial, contractual, and supply chain obligations, including Operating and Maintenance Agreements, fuel supply, power sales, steam supply, service agreements, procurement, and contractor performance.
• Provide financial leadership by developing and managing operating and capital budgets, forecasting financial performance, controlling expenditures, optimizing resources, and achieving business objectives through disciplined fiscal management.
• Promote organizational excellence and accountability by fostering innovation, operational discipline, employee engagement, continuous learning, and a culture of ownership.
• Carry out and complete additional leadership responsibilities, strategic initiatives, and special projects as assigned.

NAES Safe

Safety is a core value at NAES, and as a condition of employment, all employees are expected to remain mentally alert and work safely at all times. All NAES managers and supervisors have a direct and important role in ensuring that all work is performed in a healthy and safe manner. Effectiveness in carrying out this responsibility is part of the evaluation of each Supervisor’s performance.

Working Relationships

The Sr. Plant Manager reports to the Operations Director and supervises the managers, technicians, and Plant Administrator. The Plant Manager is the single point of contact between NAES and the Owner on all matters pertaining to the operation, maintenance, and commercial management of the plant.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

Physical requirements include standing for extended periods of time, climbing stairs and ladders, working from elevated platforms and walkways at varying heights, and routinely lifting up to 50 pounds.

Power plant environment that may involve entering confined spaces, crawling through narrow areas, and handling hazardous materials, with exposure to fumes, extreme temperatures, and noise. Work may include high heat near equipment and varying outdoor weather conditions.

Some duties may require the use of protective equipment, which can include hard hats, safety glasses, and eye protection, air masks/respirators, ear protection, chemical suits, flame-resistant clothing (FRC), hot gloves, high-voltage protective gear, and fall protection. Fit testing for respirators may be required. Strict smoking restrictions apply in and around the facility.

Fitness for Duty

All personnel will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program, which includes a post-offer physical examination, drug screening, and post-employment random drug screening.

Work Schedule

The Sr. Plant Manager works a standard Monday to Friday day shift schedule, ensuring consistent plant operation and support during regular business hours. This position will also occasionally necessitate extended working hours and flexible shifts as needed, including weekends and holidays, in response to schedules, workload demands, and plant conditions. Periodic callouts or “On call” status may also be required.

Some travel may be involved to participate in Manager, Owner, User Group, or other offsite meetings.

Compensation

This position offers an annual base salary ranging from $200,000 to $225,000 and includes eligibility for an annual performance bonus.

Professional Expertise & Qualifications

We are seeking an accomplished leader with extensive experience in the operations and maintenance of power generating facilities, paired with a strong history of career growth and a track record of excellence in achieving results.

• A Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or equivalent is desired, providing a strong foundation for understanding the technical aspects of power plant operations and management. Relevant industry or military experience may be considered in lieu of education.
• Extensive leadership experience in power generation, with demonstrated success managing the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of a combined-cycle, cogeneration, or other large industrial generating facility.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary organizations responsible for Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Reliability, Environmental, and Administrative functions while achieving high standards of safety, reliability, and operational performance.
• Extensive experience leading a unionized workforce, including administering collective bargaining agreements, fostering collaborative labor-management relationships, and effectively resolving employee relations matters.
• Advanced knowledge of combined-cycle generation systems, including gas turbines, Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs), steam turbines, and balance-of-plant equipment, as well as asset management and reliability principles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including OSHA, Process Safety Management (PSM), environmental permitting, and NERC reliability standards, with a proven ability to maintain regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated business acumen with experience managing operating and capital budgets, administering commercial agreements, evaluating financial performance, and implementing cost-effective business strategies.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive relationships with Owners, refinery representatives, union leadership, employees, contractors, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Proven ability to develop organizational capability through strategic workforce planning, succession planning, coaching, mentoring, performance management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions and provide effective leadership during planned outages, emergent operating conditions, and other critical events while maintaining a strong focus on safety, reliability, and business continuity.
• Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. driver’s license and ensure it remains in good standing at all times.

About NAES

NAES Corporation is a leading provider of operations, maintenance, and engineering services for energy facilities. We have built a reputation as a reliable partner for clients in North America and internationally, offering services across the power generation, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors. Our growing family of companies allows us to address the entire life cycle of power generation and other industrial plants.

NAES is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We prioritize selecting employees based on merit and competence, seeking individuals of the highest quality, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status, or affiliation protected under USERRA, or any other form of discrimination prohibited by applicable local, state, and federal law.