Solvent Distillation Plant Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Plant Manager

Three-Product Transmix Distillation Facility

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Houston Management

Direct Reports: Nine (operations, maintenance, and laboratory personnel)

Travel: Less than 15%

About Us

We are an energy solutions company focused on sustainable resource recovery and returning off-specification fuel to marketable products. Our Hickory, North Carolina facility is a three-product transmix distillation plant that processes transmix feedstock into finished gasoline, ultra-low sulfur diesel, and heavy fuel oil (HFO).

We are hiring a Plant Manager who will commission this facility and then run it.

Position Summary

The Plant Manager is accountable for the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of the Hickory transmix processing facility in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, industry standards, company policies, and plant standard operating procedures.

This is a hands-on leadership role at a facility entering startup. The successful candidate will participate in commissioning, build the operating team from the ground up, establish the plant’s procedural and regulatory compliance framework, and then lead the plant to sustain production against yield, throughput, quality, and cost targets. This role cannot be performed from a desk.

Essential Functions

1. Ensure the ongoing safety of all personnel at the plant (including team members, contractors, vendors, customers, and visitors) across every plant activity and work area.

2. Manage all aspects of plant operations, including transportation, receipt, handling, storage, processing, production, measurement, and distribution of feedstocks, products, byproducts, materials, and process chemicals. Oversee the efficient conversion of transmix feedstock into gasoline, diesel, and HFO at targeted yields and product quality.

3. Direct the operation, inspection, integrity testing, maintenance, repair, upgrade, construction, installation, and decommissioning of all plant structures, equipment, instrumentation, and control systems.

4. Ensure the plant operates in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations governing occupational safety; process safety; asset integrity and maintenance; environmental protection; and the receipt, storage, handling, loading, and transportation of hazardous materials.

5. Own fuels regulatory compliance and product quality assurance, including conformance with EPA and industry specifications.

6. Manage and develop the plant management team to ensure safe and efficient operations, performance at or above budgeted goals for production and operating expense, and bench strength for succession planning.

7. Recruit, train, and qualify plant personnel. Identify training requirements, ensure completion, and foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

8. Manage and maintain SCADA systems to ensure seamless monitoring and control of plant processes. Train staff in their effective use, and analyze SCADA data to identify trends, improve efficiency, and troubleshoot operational issues.

9. Identify, scope, budget, plan, and complete regular maintenance shutdowns and capital improvement projects that improve safety, production, efficiency, or earnings. Oversee on-site capital expense projects as directed by management.

10. Ensure minimal downtime through preventative maintenance and proactive troubleshooting of the distillation towers, stripper, heat exchangers, hot oil system, storage tanks, blending equipment, and other critical assets. Ensure optimal utilization of energy recovery equipment.

11. Own inventory reconciliation, custody transfer measurement, volumetric loss control, and the associated accounting and reporting.

12. Monitor and report on key performance indicators, including yield, throughput, on-stream factor, product quality, and operating cost. Manage the plant budget to meet financial objectives.

13. Ensure all facility response plans and regulatory documents (including SPCC, emergency response, and inspection and integrity records) are reviewed and updated in accordance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.

14. Utilize enterprise resource planning and maintenance management software (SAP, Maximo, or equivalent) to manage operations, inventory, and maintenance scheduling. Ensure team members are trained on relevant tools.

15. Ensure plant operations, projects, and goals are aligned with company strategy and commercial objectives.

16. Model behaviors that support the company’s common purpose and support team members at the highest level.

17. Complete other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline preferred. An equivalent combination of experience and education will be considered.

• Five or more years supervising a 24-hour, seven-day industrial process operation, including at least two years in distillation, fuels processing, refining, or liquid terminal operations. An equivalent combination of experience and education will be considered.

• Experience commissioning, starting up, or restarting a process unit or plant.

• Expert knowledge of chemical or petroleum processing equipment and procedures, with demonstrated familiarity with refining processes.

• Working knowledge of distillation and energy recovery systems, including heat exchangers and hot oil systems.

• Demonstrated experience with SCADA and process control systems.

• Working knowledge of Process Safety Management (PSM), Risk Management Program (RMP), and Management of Change (MOC).

• Familiarity with enterprise software such as SAP, Maximo, or equivalent.

• Demonstrated ability to apply physics, chemistry, and process logic in an industrial production environment.

• Strong understanding of maintenance and construction activities.

• Proven leadership and team-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct transmix processing experience, or experience in re-refining, solvent recovery, biodiesel, or small-refinery operations.

• Working knowledge of EPA fuels programs, including Part 1090 designation and RFS/RIN compliance.

• Knowledge of hazardous material handling and storage.

• Certification in Process Safety Management (PSM) or Six Sigma.

• Experience building an operating team and procedural framework at a new facility.

Competencies and Specialized Knowledge

• Ability to manage and lead a diverse team in a 24-hour, seven-day operation.

• Excellent written, verbal, and listening communication skills.

• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

• Excellent problem-solving ability under production and time pressure.

• Ability to properly put on and remove a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

• Proficiency with operational and financial management tools, and with Microsoft Office.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• General office work requires sitting or standing for extended periods of time.

• Regular presence in an operating process unit and tank farm, including climbing stairs and ladders, working at elevation, and walking on uneven surfaces.

• Ability to lift to 50 pounds and to stoop, bend, and reach.

• Ability to pass a pulmonary fitness test, an SCBA mask fit test, and a physical examination.

• Ability to operate machinery in a safe manner.

• Exposure to outdoor weather, elevated noise, and hydrocarbon vapors. Required use of personal protective equipment, including flame-resistant clothing.

• Available to work extended hours as operations require, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and to be on call for plant emergencies.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base Salary: $90,000 to $140,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

• Bonus: Performance-based annual bonus.

• Relocation: Relocation assistance available for the right candidate.

• Health: Nationwide medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Retirement: 401(k) with company match and flexible spending accounts.

• Time Off: Paid time off plus company holidays.

• Development: Tuition reimbursement and support for professional certification.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter detailing relevant experience, with specific reference to distillation or fuels processing operations and any startup or commissioning work. We will review applications on a rolling basis.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and encouraging applications from all qualified individuals. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We are an energy solutions company focused on sustainable resource recovery and returning off-specification fuel to marketable products. Our Hickory, North Carolina facility is a three-product transmix distillation plant that processes transmix feedstock into finished gasoline, ultra-low sulfur diesel, and heavy fuel oil (HFO).