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Project Engineer

Position Type: Salaried + Performance-Based Bonus

Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET Monday – Friday; after hours when necessary

Reports to: Director of Operations

Job Summary: The Project Engineer is responsible for managing capital and plant improvement projects from scope development through design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and turnover to operations. This is a plant-based project role, not a desk-only design position or a pure project management role.

Projects will typically range from $10,000 to $1,000,000, with an annual project portfolio of approximately $2 million to $5 million. The Project Engineer will have access to senior technical resources for design support, but must be able to independently develop scopes, perform basic engineering checks, manage contractors, and drive projects to completion.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

• Manage assigned projects from concept through closeout, including scope development, estimating, design coordination, procurement support, construction oversight, commissioning, and documentation turnover.
• Develop practical engineering scopes for process equipment, piping, utilities, structural supports, instrumentation, and general plant infrastructure.
• Perform screening-level engineering calculations, including pump sizing checks, pipe sizing, pressure drop estimates, valve selection support, utility requirements, and basic process/mechanical evaluations.
• Coordinate with internal senior engineers, vendors, and outside engineering resources on design reviews, technical troubleshooting, process safety input, and higher-risk or specialty equipment designs.
• Oversee contractors across civil/structural, electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, insulation, coatings, rigging, and general construction disciplines.
• Coordinate field work with production, maintenance, safety, quality, and operations to minimize downtime, manage project risk, and support safe execution.

• Support MOC, PHA action items, PSSRs, commissioning plans, startup troubleshooting, punch list management, and final turnover to production and maintenance

Essential skills and experience:

• Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of engineering or project execution experience preferred in a chemical plant, refinery, industrial manufacturing facility, or similar process environment. Candidates with less experience may be considered where project complexity can be scaled appropriately.
• Working knowledge of common chemical plant equipment, including pumps, piping, valves, tanks, utilities, instrumentation, heat exchangers, agitators, and packaged systems.
• Ability to perform plant-level engineering checks without relying entirely on vendors or senior engineers. Higher-risk or specialty designs will be supported by senior engineering resources, vendors, or outside engineering partners.
• Experience coordinating contractors in an active industrial facility.
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, equipment drawings, piping layouts, electrical drawings, instrument details, structural drawings, vendor data sheets, and construction documents.
• Experience with batch chemical manufacturing, specialty chemical production, PSM-covered processes, MOC, PHAs, PSSRs, or mechanical integrity preferred.
• Familiarity with OSHA PSM, ASME, API, NFPA, NEC, RAGAGEP, and other applicable codes or standards preferred.

Work Environment

This is a plant-based role with regular time in operating areas and construction zones. Planned off-hours support may be required for outages, tie-ins, commissioning, shutdowns, or other scheduled project work. Routine work is primarily during normal business hours.

About Colonial Chemical

Colonial Chemical is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals and surfactants, with an emphasis on environmentally friendly products. Our chemicals go into personal care, household and industrial cleaning, vehicle care, metalworking, and many other industries.