About The Role

Working closely with shift teams and other members of the operations teams, the Senior Production Engineer is responsible for ensuring short term targets are met regarding safety, throughput, yield, quality, cost etc. Having a strong technical and academic background, the incumbent will apply theoretical knowledge to find and implement practical and sustainable solutions to optimise plant performance, improve efficiencies, eliminate waste and drive down cost. With an intimate knowledge of plant unit operations, the incumbent will support the development and execution of longer-term improvement projects.

As a senior engineer, the incumbent will coach and mentor operations personnel and support staff and provide guidance and mentoring to the wider technical resources.

Key Responsibilities

Ensure effective measurement tools are in place and that measurements are collected to track and report performance using performance indicators for production yields, raw material conversion, resource utilisation and asset utilisation
Works with Production Technicians, networks with other engineers on site and other wider business partners to leverage knowledge on plant operations
Translate Business needs relating to production to production optimisation goals
Provides operating guidance to be applied in procedures and process operating discipline and identifies improvement opportunities through customer feedback and through programs driven by the business
Works with the supply chain to ensure plant needs are met from raw material planning to logistics
Owning the technical content of the Process description and Narratives.
Analyse plant data to understand issues
Apply CI processes to the constraints identified (5 step Problem solving, action teams) and be seen as a role model in this effort
Develop solutions to current identified constraints, create the management of change documentation, obtain financial approval, develop implementation plans, and support the implementation and commissioning of the solution
Participate in the analysis and resolution of identified utilization and reliability issues
Lead investigations for incidents
Participate in Hazard Identification and Risk assessment activities
Lead the closure of action items generated during safety reviews
Support the competency program of the production team
Line management of the production engineers

Salary: £55,000 - £60,000 depending on experience plus 10% benefits package

Contract: Permanent

Working hours: 37.5 per week, Monday - Friday.

Based at the Vivergo Fuels Site at the Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull.

About You

Knowledge – skills and experience required

Batchelor or Master degree in Chemical or Process engineering

Significant (>5 years) experience in supporting production of large-scale high hazard plant operations
Knowledge of COMAH regulations an advantage
Knowledge and experience of using tools to improve manufacturing such as Root Cause investigation methodologies, Lean manufacturing principles, Continuous Improvement methodology etc
Solid technical knowledge of core chemical engineering principles and processes – thermodynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer etc
Demonstrated expertise of turning theoretical knowledge into practical improvements
Experience of automated process control systems
Demonstrable experience of leading teams and delivering programme improvement.

Personal Attributes

Knowledgeable and articulate in appropriate technical subjects in the assigned areas
Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills, in order to be able to communicate effectively at all levels
Self-driven, results orientated with a positive outlook and a clear focus on safety, high standards, and commercial success for Vivergo
A natural forward planner who critically assesses their own performance and the performance of the team
Maintains high personal standards and is able to demonstrate fairness in dealing with people
Influences through leadership and personal example
A ‘hands on’ approach with a desire and motivation to gain a deep technical understanding of the Vivergo asset unit operations
Presents and contributes to technical exchanges with other teams and shareholders
Leads and contributes to incident investigations for Vivergo
The role requires a good appreciation of the commercial impact of proposals on the business
Constructively challenge ‘business as usual and looks to drive efficiencies and eliminate waste

About Us

Vivergo Fuels operates on the Saltend Chemicals complex in Hull. We are part of the AB Sugar division within ABF (Associated British Foods). ABF is a FTSE 10 group that operates in 53 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

What do we do?

In simple terms we convert locally sourced feed wheat into both bioethanol, a more environmentally friendly transport fuel, and a highly nutritious animal feed for the dairy industry.

We are passionate about what we do and proud to say the bioethanol we produce helps to reduce transport carbon emissions in the UK.

Safety comes first at Vivergo Fuels, but equally important is how we work; our people and culture make us who we are.

Our Benefits

Working with us offers a great benefits package that equates to 10% on top of your salary, and encompasses options such as:

Matching pension scheme up to 10%
Life Assurance
Income Protection
Cycle to work scheme
25 days annual leave plus 8 Bank Holidays (rising with time)
Private medical options
On site free staff parking

We also recognise that whilst work is a big part of who we are, our people have other roles to fill in their lives. Enabling our team to balance work and home life is important to us.