Reliability Engineering Jobs

Robert Ambs — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:05:51 +0000

Location: Houston, TX
Salary: 115-140K

Our Client is one of America’s leading oil and natural gas producers, natural gas marketers, gasoline marketers. They are a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology.

Responsibilities:

You will lend global supervision to all of the Tank and Pipeline Integrity and Process Safety activities around the Globe in a wide variety of Distribution sites, pipelines and jetties. The global nature of this position allows for business strategies that leverage contract and procurement activities to harness the global buying power of the good and services related to Tanks, Pipelines, and Jetty Integrity activities. The primary goal is to sustain and improve the practices and procedures to reduce loss of containment incidents due to asset integrity failure. Additional duties to include:

Lead and manage the implementation of the Tank, Pipeline, Jetty, and Process Safety programs through the Distribution lines of business.
Utilize standard risk-based R&I, Tank, Pipeline tools, and identify and implement improvements to the processes and tools
Lead Root Cause investigations related to Asset Integrity to identify and implement improvements to the process and share learnings across the organization
Excellent organizer of global contracts
Utilize Contract strategies to achieve Global leverage, as well as bridging the competency gaps from site to site
Contribute to the adaptation of emerging technologies to Distribution R&I practices to improve efficiencies
Understand and influence future regulations that might impact the Distribution business as related to Asset Integrity

Requirements:

BS ME
Must have legal authorization to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer
Combination of very high communication skills (especially in written English) and technical competency in Distribution/ Refinery equipment maintenance and inspection is required
5 to 10 years Experience in inspection/testing, care and maintenance of storage and handling related equipment preferred
Some travel globally to engage stakeholders, consultants, and other technical staff. Must be able to travel internationally. It is estimated that 4 international trips per year will be required

Strongly desired:

Strong communication and team building skills as a coach
Familiarity with the applicable inspection and maintenance codes and standards (e.g. API 653, EEMUA 159)
Excellent team player

Robert Ambs — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:56:43 +0000

Location: San Francisco, CA
Salary: 110 – 135k base plus COL bonuses, 0 -10% profit share, Flexible work schedule, Full relocation

Our client is a leading refining company and is seeking a talented Reliability Engineer who desires to pursue world class reliability.

Responsibilities:
The reliability engineer will develop and implement consistent work processes and tools across the site that drives reliability performance improvement, including measurement and metrics, risk assessment, prioritization, and learning. Through the use and implementation of these work processes and tools, you will create a proactive reliability culture to mitigate threats. The focus of this job is to drive reliability performance to world-class levels.

Key Accountabilities Include:

Providing actionable analysis of production losses
Eliminating facility threats through coaching in the use of the a threat mitigation process
Aligning facility top threats and mitigations though effective mitigation processes
Improving integration of systems and processes related to reliability
Improving risk-based decision making
Providing effective organizational learning through leadership of organization learning events
Continuously improving reliability metrics across the site
Managing production teams and other support groups by influence to drive progress on site reliability initiatives
Training others on Risk Assessment

To be considered for this position you

Must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering
Have approximately 7 or more years experience in a petroleum manufacturing environment
Have demonstrated experience with Risk Based Inspection & Reliability Centered Maintenance concepts and proven ability in change management.

Robert Ambs — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:45:30 +0000

If I am the last one hired will I be the first fired? A slowing economy often produces fear and uncertainty that drives emotions to overshadow patience and logic. A slowing economy can be a good time to change jobs. It is not necessarily a dangerous career move to take a new position heading into a down period in the market. In some ways it may be safer to move during a down point than at the freewheeling high point of the market. If you are approached by a recruiter regarding a job in a slow economy keep in mind that this particular job opening must be of high importance to the company. If they are willing to a pay a recruiting fee and hire in a slow market you can be assured that this position is of importance to the business. Critical jobs get filled during a slow down, non-essential jobs get left open. Also, companies that hire in an economic slow down are often the more proactive companies that are in a better position to grow after the downturn. Conventional wisdom says to ride out economic slowdowns but hunkering down at the job you have due to the uncertainty of the market. However, a down market can actually highlight the good opportunities in the market that are important to a company’s success.

Robert Ambs — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:32:47 +0000

Location: South Houston, TX
Salary: 130 – 180k base

We are seeking an engineer that has knowledge of maintenance management, turnarounds and refining to take a new position as VP of Business Dev who can push business growth. The goal will be to push sales and grow the business which is primarily in refining markets currently. This will include budget oversight, sales/marketing and strategic planning and being a “face” for the business on an international level. They are seeking someone who has strong leadership skills, is creative and self motivated with strong moral integrity. They want a proven manager who wants to be with the business long term. The primary product is a chemical that is used during turnarounds to allow rapid and safe entry into tanks and vessels thereby decreasing the time of a turnaround. The company also owns other businesses related to turnarounds and the service of refineries.

Required:
BS ME
10+ years of experience

Robert Ambs — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:28:20 +0000

Location: CA Refinery
Salary: 120 – 150 k plus COL adjustment, Full relocation, Profit share, 9/80 work schedule

Our client has an aggressive reliability program and is seeking a manager who can work reliability with mechanical equipment and electrical systems. This manager will oversee the site E and I reliability engineers as well as fixed equipment and machinery engineers and should have a knowledge base of both of these areas. This position leads development and execution of refinery’s “Reliability Strategy” to include development of tactics to close gaps in reliability performance. Responsible for helping the organization achieve reliability improvements by providing leadership for the people, processes, and tools contributing to reliable refinery operations. The Reliability Manager coordinates operational, technical, mechanical and electrical engineering functions at the refinery to support continuous reliable refinery performance. Manages reliability-associated activities to drive and support operational excellence such as proactive and preventive maintenance programs, field support, and mentoring of production and maintenance personnel.

Qualifications:

The selected candidate will have a degree in Engineering and a minimum of 15 years of experience at plant-level in refining operations, maintenance or reliability.
Required skills include:

Able to facilitate change effectively and work collaboratively within groups.
Leadership qualities to be self-directed, goal-oriented, result-driven and capable of multiple tasks.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills including ability to effectively present technical information to audience with a non-technical background.
Proven track record of expeditious reliability improvement through new techniques, programs and initiatives.
Strong background in risk assessment approaches and methodologies.
Familiar with Six Sigma techniques and principles
Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability
Technically-oriented in theories but practical in application and implementation of reliability principles/techniques i.e.

FMEA (Failure Mode & Effects Analysis)
RCFA (Root Cause Failure Analysis)
TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)
RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance)

Robert Ambs — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:31:38 +0000

Location: Houston Based, with some international travel requirements, TX
Salary: 100-200K

Our client provides a wide range of Reliability Engineering Consulting Services to help clients (chemicals, refining, oil and gas) protect Asset Integrity whilst Delivering Asset Performance and Achieving Regulatory Compliance. They work with all the phases of an asset, helping clients address the issues of Design Integrity, Technical Integrity and Operational Integrity. We are seeking a seasoned engineer with a wide range of reliability skills and a business level understanding of reliability as it relates to overall asset management. Your technical expertise and business acumen will be combined with our clients established reliability methodologies to provide high value consulting services. This is a well established company, but is also a company where you can have a big impact.

Essential skills/qualities:

Capable of working in a team environment
Experience in effectively communicating with staff from all levels in the client organization
Experience in producing proposal documents to meet client requirements
Prepared to travel on short assignments (1-2 weeks as required)
Innovative approach to problem solving
Honesty and integrity

Desirable skills/qualities:

Understanding of technical/business consulting process
Technical background in reliability, integrity or maintenance.
Ability to work on his/her own initiative
Hands on experience in a technical/engineering environment
Ability to turn opportunities/inquiries into projects
Excellent project management skills
Experience in reliability based maintenance techniques
Experience in Risk Based approaches to reliability, integrity and maintenance

Desired Expertise: Maintenance/ Integrity/ Reliability strategy background
Preferred Internal/ External Consultancy experience in reliability, integrity and/ or maintenance
Highly motivated, self starter and able to work both with teams and individually
Ability to assess client issues and formulate/ implement solutions
Program & Project Management Skills

Experience: 8+

Education: BS ME

Robert Ambs — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:27:17 +0000

Location: Houston, TX
Salary: 85-115k

This opportunity is with a large chemical manufacturing plant in the Houston area. Our client is a fortune 500 chemical company with nearly 100 facilities in 25 countries. They strive to maintain a collaborative work environment that encourages personal and career development.

As a Maintenance Engineer with my client you will provide maintenance engineering support to the sulfuric acid unit of their Houston chemical plant.

Responsibilities:

Participate in “bad actor” resolution.
Participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
Implement projects which are primarily repairs including temporary and permanent (with goal of improved reliability as appropriate).
Creates, implements, and monitors predictive maintenance and Preventative Maintenance Programs
Identifies and solves repetitive problems.
Acts as a technical resource for engineers and craft people for reliability issues.
Trains technical team members, technicians, supervisors and craftsmen.
Works closely with Project Engineers to “build in” reliability in new projects.
Works closely with Area Maintenance to achieve reliability objectives.
Manages day-to-day troubleshooting.
Makes new technology changes.
Participates in turnaround scope development, equipment inspection, and maintenance execution.
Ensures QA/QC of equipment repair and fabrication at outside shops.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering
3+ years experience in chemicals or similar industry

Robert Ambs — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:39:13 +0000

Location: Baton Rouge / New Orleans Corridor, LA
Compensation: 100-125k + aggressive bonus plan

Client Information:

We have placed several engineers with this refinery and ALWAYS receive positive feedback about them and their work environment. This refinery is receiving excellent levels of funding for upgrades and expansion. Our client has substantial oil reserves allowing them to have continued success through times of rising crude costs.

Job Description:

As a metallurgy engineer with my client you will interface with maintenance and engineering in order to make decisions associated with material selections including metals, non-metals, and coating systems. You will also provide support on a major expansion project. You will introduce and manage Risk Based Inspection and Fitness for Service Programs to reduce production losses related to corrosion and degradation.

Responsibilities:

Identify corrosion mechanisms and establish inspection programs to monitor those mechanisms.
Review welding/welding metallurgy and repair procedures (preheating, stress relieving, hydrogen bake-outs, etc.) and perform filler metal evaluations.
Perform heater tube remaining life evaluations, carbon-1/2 Moly equipment evaluations, and fitness for service analyses.
Evaluate failure analyses findings provided by others.
Management of the cathodic protection system at the refinery.
compile/monitor our chemical treating vendor corrosion coupon/probe data.
Review Inspection TAR/Shutdown recommendations, etc.

Requirements:

BS in Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, or Materials Science
5+ years experience as materials engineer in a refinery or petrochemical plant

Robert Ambs — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:54:54 +0000

Location: Houston, TX
Salary: 110 – 120k plus profit share and full relocation

In the fixed equipment/project engineer role you will evaluate and define fixed equipment based projects working closely with the site reliability group and project team. This is a large and diverse heavy crude refinery with a significant load of projects in the fixed equipment area. This position requires seasoned judgment and a thorough knowledge of fixed equipment.

Serve as liaison between the project teams and the Maintenance/Reliability departments.
Provide technical expertise regarding Fixed Equipment activities necessary to support all phases of the Project Delivery Process. Responsible for representing reliability requirements and concerns to the capital projects team.
Maintain and communicate status, needs, issues, etc. of capital projects to the Reliability Dept.
Interface, direct and assist technical discipline contract engineers.
Provide engineering support for Construction Coordinators.
Assist with commissioning and start-up of new units/equipment.
Assist Cost Engineer with developing mechanical estimates.
Review vendor quotes, bids, estimates recommending approval to project facilitator.
Determine material requirements for the scope of work.
Develop specifications for material and equipment.
Provide or coordinate needed technical training on new equipment.
Assist with project close-out including as-builts documents.
Ensure that MOC’s & PSSR’s are properly completed (as lead Technical Basis Reviewer for project).
Identify required capital spare parts and ensure spares are stocked post-project.

Qualifications:
BS ME and 10 + years of experience in a chemical plant or refinery

Robert Ambs — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:47:40 +0000

Location: Houston, TX
Salary: 100 – 125k plus profit share and full relocation

Would you like to develop a program for a major area of fixed equipment at a large US Refinery? Our client is seeking a seasoned Reliability Engineer who can develop a Heat Exchanger program for a large refinery and be a technical point of contact on heat exchanger issues. You will develop long term solutions and build a deep technical skills base regarding the fixed equipment at this large and diverse heavy crude refinery.

Responsible for developing a Heat Exchanger Reliability program that includes a detailed remaining life assessment of each bundle prior to a major turnaround.
Serve as the technical lead during outside/vendor shop evaluations or qualification.
Site contact for all Technical Directives issued by the company. This includes the development and implementation of any remedial plans.
Provide fixed equipment engineering technical support to operations/maintenance/turnaround planning. This includes field troubleshooting, repair scope development, materials specification, training, and interaction with operations/maintenance/contractor personnel. Primary role is to ensure that equipment integrity is maintained.
Provide fixed equipment technical support for the Infrastructure Upgrade Program.
Technology owner for fixed equipment engineering standards. Review/update standards to keep up with current technologies and industry trends. Review/approve exemptions to the standards when necessary.
Support fixed equipment issues in other areas of the refinery as required. This includes special assignments such as Turnarounds or Projects.
Conduct root cause failure analysis and incident investigations as required to prevent repeat failures and make improvements to existing procedures and standards.

Qualifications:
BS ME and 5 + years of experience in chemical plant or refinery.