Mechanical Engineer, Associate

Job Title: Mechanical Engineer, Associate
Job Type: Permanent, Full-time
Location: Deer Park, TX
Sector: Oil & Gas / Downstream, Refining
Work Schedule: Hybrid (1-2 days WFH)


NES Fircroft is a leading global technical recruitment company providing professional contract and permanent staff to a diverse worldwide client base within the energy industry. Our client, an innovative and established refinery with a rated capacity of 340,000 barrels of crude oil per day, has an exciting permanent opportunity for a Mechanical Engineer, Associate to be based near Deer Park, TX (Houston, TX).


Mechanical Engineer, Associate

The role of the Mechanical Engineer is to provide engineering support to the assigned production area and deliver year-on-year improvements to asset integrity and reliability of equipment, ensuring safe operations and sound environmental performance.  To accomplish this, the role is empowered to be the owner of static and rotating equipment within their operating units.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
The mechanical engineer is the first point of contact for most mechanical systems in their respective production areas. Below are the key areas of responsibility with core expectations outlined.

• Work with Operations and Maintenance counterparts to solve day-to-day problems, ensuring safe and reliable unit operation.

• Participate in production team meetings to maintain awareness of key activities and unit operating status.

• Conduct routine field walkthroughs with operations, maintenance, and inspection to proactively evaluate concerns with equipment and provide recommendations.

• Support as a key contributor during stabilization and recovery from operational upsets.

• Manage Threats and Opportunities (MTO): Identify and prioritize threats (i.e. “bad actors”) and opportunities related to mechanical equipment, utilize problem solving skills to frame potential solutions, and take action to drive resolution.

• Management of Change (MOC): Develop technical design bases, provide and facilitate technical assurance and hazard screening of design, assist with maintenance planning and execution activities, lead pre-startup safety reviews, and verify change close-out activities.

• Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM): Manage and continuously improve asset care strategies for both fixed and rotating equipment using consistent methodologies and a standardized approach.

• Maintenance Execution (ME): Drive compliance for critical planned maintenance, review deferral justifications, and seek optimization opportunities.

• Process Safety Compliance: Manage and timely implement Process Safety recommendations for the assigned production areas.

• Leverage technical acumen to outline the detailed scope of changes to mechanical equipment. Assure compliance with industry standards and company design practices for all plant changes.

• Assess the health of Mechanical Equipment by utilizing:

• Ensure Safe Production (ESP)– Review production unit shift reports, assess design operating window exceedances
• Manage Equipment Care (MEC)– Support completion of compliance inspections and implementation of asset care strategies for mechanical equipment.
• Proactive Technical Monitoring (Predictive Maintenance) – Review exceptions from Operations sensory rounds, assess vibration and oil sample analysis results, and recommend proactive corrective actions.

• Provide updates on current project statuses and upcoming work scopes to relevant stakeholders. Contribute to decisions that prioritize the best interests of the site.

• Challenge self and production team to assess that work is executed by the right team in the organization based on size and complexity.

• Seek to understand the root cause of failures and mitigate findings with robust solutions to prevent recurrence.

• Identify opportunities to reduce waste in work processes using LEAN and other continuous improvement methodologies

SPECIFIC AREAS OF WORKING KNOWLEDGE SOUGHT:

• Strong knowledge of Rotational and Stationary Equipment (centrifugal pumps, mixers, tank storage units, pressure release valves)
• Experience in supporting work scope development and field execution for mechanical equipment
• Experience working in matrix organizations, reporting to several key stakeholders across the value chain

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior experience in a refining or petrochemical manufacturing complex.
• Prior experience in support of general-purpose static and/or rotating equipment. 
• Knowledge of industry codes and standards related to static and/or rotating equipment and their practical application within the refining and petrochemical industries.

 
REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (mechanical engineering strongly preferred).  
• Minimum two (2) years of experience in a related manufacturing industry, ideally petrochemical refining.
• Awareness of maintenance and reliability concepts, including a sound understanding of engineering and maintenance processes.  Awareness of the concepts of risk assessment, Reliability Centered Maintenance, Management of Change, and structured problem solving. 
• Excellent troubleshooting, analytical, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to interface with personnel from diverse backgrounds at all levels of the organization. Proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects. 
• Physical Requirements:
  • Lifting objects up to 25 pounds
  • Walking distances of up to a mile
  • Climbing portable and vessel ladders to elevations over 100 feet
  • 25-50% of work is performed in an outside petrochemical manufacturing environment
  • Occasionally extended work hours during planned and unplanned maintenance events.
• Must have authorization to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis.

 
This job description is not intended to describe in detail the multitude of tasks that may be assigned, but rather to provide the incumbent with a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.  As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position. 

This is an excellent opportunity to become part of a fully integrated oil company in the Americas working across the entire value chain. The successful applicant will receive a competitive annual compensation package, annual bonus, strong medical benefits, PTO, holidays, and more. For more information on this opportunity or others, please contact Niko Skoumpourdis. 

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.