Lead Operator📣 Job Ad
in Air Products
about 2 hours ago
about 2 hours agoShare
 | Contract Type | Full-time |
 | Workplace type | On-site |
 | Location | Al Jubail |
About the Role
Air Products, a world-leading industrial gases company, is seeking a highly experienced Lead Operator for its BHIG (Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases) joint venture in Al Jubail, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. BHIG is a strategic partnership between Saudi Aramco and Air Products Qudra, focused on driving industrial innovation and supporting clean energy goals through low-carbon hydrogen production. The Lead Operator will play a critical role in the day-to-day DCS and field operations of the HYCO facility, reporting to the HYCO Shift Supervisor. This position is essential for ensuring production requirements are met safely, efficiently, and stably, contributing to the company's mission of reimagining what's possible.
This role demands a strong focus on operational excellence, safety, and compliance. The Lead Operator is responsible for the safe, efficient, and stable operation of the entire Hydrogen Manufacturing Unit from a centralized control room using Distributed Control Systems (DCS). This includes monitoring, controlling, and optimizing processes to meet production targets, quality specifications, and environmental regulations. The Lead Operator will also provide shift lead responsibilities in the absence of the Shift Supervisor, ensuring business continuity.
Key Responsibilities
- Maintain a safe and stable operating environment, demonstrating leadership in all company and industry safe work processes to prevent injuries and ensuring proper documentation for safety-related activities.
- Enforce and adhere to all Safe Work Permits, Lock-out Tag-out (LOTO), and Management of Change (MOC) procedures.
- Act as the first line of response for process emergencies, executing emergency operating procedures, initiating plant trips when necessary, and directing field operators.
- Monitor the status of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and Fire & Gas Systems, understanding the cause and effect charts for all safety interlocks.
- Ensure all plant emissions comply with environmental permits and properly manage waste streams.
- Ensure the safety of all operations personnel by utilizing the BHIG Basic Safety Practice program.
- Operate the Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) based hydrogen plant, including the CO2 Removal section, CO2 compression, PSA with Tail Gas compression, Membrane Unit, and related utilities, as prescribed by Work Instruction Procedures.
- Operate the pipeline network to supply Hydrogen, steam, and CO2 to customer pipelines safely and efficiently.
- Report production progress and plant status to the Shift Supervisor, suggesting solutions for any shortfalls and managing plant production efficiently to meet safety, reliability, and profitability targets.
- Ensure BHIG standards and global best practices for EH&S, productivity, reliability, quality, and overall customer service are met.
- Meet customer requirements regarding safety, reliability, product quality, and flexibility of product supply, maintaining strong customer communications and relationships to satisfy demand while maximizing facility efficiency and profitability.
- Follow Site Work Instruction Manuals for production and supply of Hydrogen, CO2, and Steam, along with other operating and maintenance procedures and checklists.
- Maintain a relationship with customer counterparts from other Refinery Units to ensure alignment of expectations for current and future product demand.
- Constantly monitor all process variables via DCS to ensure they are within defined operating limits.
- Manipulate control loops, setpoints, and cascades to maintain stable operations of all integrated units.
- Use historical data and trends to predict equipment performance degradation, identify inefficiencies, and prevent potential trips and failures.
- Execute and supervise detailed start-up sequences for the entire plant or individual units/loops from cold, warm, or hot standby conditions, ensuring a smooth and safe transition to full load normal operations, and assist in facility commissioning activities.
- Maintain constant communication with field operators, providing instructions for equipment adjustments, isolations, and rounds.
- Liaise with the maintenance team to coordinate equipment preparation for maintenance (isolation, purging, blinding) and safe return of equipment to service.
- Conduct detailed and accurate shift handovers with incoming operators, highlighting any abnormalities, ongoing work, and special instructions, following shift turnover protocols.
- Maintain accurate and timely logs of operating parameters, significant events, and production data, ensuring logs are compliant with published matrices.
- Identify the root cause of process deviations and equipment malfunctions, working with engineers to implement long-term solutions.
- Suggest and participate in operational improvements and de-bottlenecking projects to enhance safety, reliability, and profitability.
- Ensure compliance with all Corrective Maintenance (CM), Preventive Maintenance (PM) tasks, and Environmental Regulatory requirements.
- Support and prepare for Shutdown Planning and Turnaround Planning.
- Provide coaching and motivation to the field operations team to achieve operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
- Establish and maintain close working relationships with engineering and maintenance personnel to continuously monitor and evaluate plant systems and equipment performance.
- Ensure compliance with process safety, MOCs, and Operational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.
- Provide operations support and participate in investigations and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify and implement sustainable corrective actions.
- Facilitate the attainment of operational excellence and customer satisfaction through operations productivity, reliability, quality, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Communicate plant activities with other shifts to maintain continuity for safe and reliable operation.
- Execute other duties as assigned by reporting managers in a timely and efficient manner.
Qualifications and Requirements
- A Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Chemical Process Operations is preferred.
- An Associate Technical Degree (2-year certificate) will be considered based on extensive years of experience and demonstrated competence.
- A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience is required.
- A minimum of 5 years of experience in Lead DCS Operations is required.
- Experience in DCS Operation & Field Operation is essential.
- Experience as a DCS Operator in an SMR-based Hydrogen, Ammonia, Methanol, or Syngas plant is required.
- Proficiency with DCS platforms such as Yokogawa Centum VP or Siemens PCS 7 is necessary.
- A deep understanding of Chemical Engineering Principles, thermodynamics, and process control is essential.
- Wide technical knowledge in operations, engineering, and maintenance activities is required.
- Ability to maintain a high level of awareness and make sound decisions under pressure.
- Strong problem-solving and diagnostic abilities are crucial.
- Clear, concise, and effective verbal and written communication skills in English are necessary.
- Ability to communicate effectively with customers at the board level on a daily basis.
- Ability to communicate effectively between operations and maintenance teams.
- A strong commitment to employee involvement, team building, and diversity is expected.
Required Skills
- DCS Operation
- Field Operation
- SMR based Hydrogen plant operation
- Ammonia plant operation
- Methanol plant operation
- Syngas plant operation
- DCS platforms (* Yokogawa Centum VP, Siemens PCS 7)
- Chemical Engineering Principles
- Thermodynamics
- Process Control
- Problem Solving
- Diagnostic Abilities
- Communication (Verbal and Written)
- Team Building
- Safety Work Permits
- Lock-out Tag-out (LOTO)
- Management of Change (MOC)
- Emergency Operating Procedures
- Safety Instrumented System (SIS)
- Fire & Gas Systems
- Process Safety
Work Environment and Location
This is a full-time position based in Al Jubail, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. The role requires over 10 years of experience.
Requirements
- Requires +10 Years experience
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