Senior Mechanical Project Engineer

Company:

Job Description:

Senior Mechanical Project Engineer

Lead High-Impact Capital Projects in Chemical Manufacturing

Mitsubishi Chemical America is seeking a highly experienced Senior Mechanical Project Engineer to provide technical and project leadership at our manufacturing facility in La Porte, Texas.

In this role, you will lead complex capital projects from initial concept and design through construction, commissioning, and startup. You will partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, contractors, and equipment suppliers to deliver solutions that strengthen plant safety, reliability, efficiency, and long-term performance.

This opportunity is ideal for an accomplished mechanical engineer who combines deep technical expertise with strong project leadership. You should be comfortable making critical engineering decisions, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, managing competing priorities, and taking ownership of projects from beginning to end.

What You’ll Do

• Lead complex mechanical and multidisciplinary capital projects from conceptual design through installation, commissioning, and startup.
• Establish project scope, technical requirements, execution strategies, budgets, schedules, resource plans, and key deliverables.
• Coordinate engineering activities across mechanical, process, civil, structural, electrical, and instrumentation disciplines.
• Lead Management of Change (MOC) activities and ensure technical, operational, and safety requirements are addressed before implementation.
• Develop technical specifications, scopes of work, equipment datasheets, bid packages, cost estimates, and project documentation.
• Size, select, and specify pumps, rotating equipment, pressure vessels, piping systems, heat exchangers, and other mechanical equipment.
• Evaluate vendor proposals and provide technical recommendations for equipment and service selections.
• Oversee procurement, fabrication, construction, equipment installation, testing, and field execution.
• Manage engineering firms, contractors, suppliers, and other external partners throughout the project lifecycle.
• Monitor project costs, schedules, risks, changes, and performance while proactively addressing potential delays or budget concerns.
• Partner with operations and maintenance teams to ensure designs are safe, practical, maintainable, and aligned with plant needs.
• Ensure projects comply with applicable engineering codes, regulatory requirements, company standards, process safety expectations, and quality requirements.
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical and project execution challenges and provide sound technical recommendations.
• Support equipment reliability, plant improvement, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and other project team members.
• Maintain clear communication with plant leadership and key stakeholders regarding project status, risks, decisions, and priorities.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline required
• At least 15 years of progressive mechanical engineering and capital project experience within chemical, petrochemical, refining, manufacturing, or another industrial processing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading capital projects through engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup.
• Strong technical knowledge of pumps, rotating equipment, pressure vessels, piping systems, heat exchangers, and related mechanical systems.
• Experience developing equipment specifications, reviewing engineering designs, and evaluating technical proposals.
• Working knowledge of Management of Change, process safety, risk assessment, and safe project execution within an operating manufacturing facility.
• Experience managing project budgets, schedules, procurement activities, contractors, and construction work.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and effectively influence stakeholders across engineering, operations, maintenance, and leadership.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate complex technical information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, or a related discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Experience executing projects in a Process Safety Management-regulated chemical manufacturing environment.
• Experience mentoring engineers or providing technical leadership to project teams.

The salary range for this position is $135,000-$150,000. Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, job-related skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations may influence base pay offered. This salary may also be subject to geographic adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the posted location.