Title: Manager of Engineering

Location: La Porte, TX

Who we are:

Voted one of the Nation's Best and Brightest Companies to Work for, Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber and resin production. With top-of-the-line research and production facilities and a vast network of supply from around the world, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products. Kuraray America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Ltd. Based in Tokyo, Japan. Kuraray has operations in 28 countries and employees more than 12,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Why Kuraray:

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. Our team members are dedicated to expanding our business with committed professionals who share essential values such as integrity, excellence, teamwork and accountability.

As a part of Kuraray America, Inc., our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world-leading innovator in the industries we service. Yet, despite our size, our people are more than just a number. As a new team member you can expect to earn responsibility quickly. Our commitment to our people is visible in our comprehensive benefits package. As a Kuraray team member, you will have the opportunity to enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, incentive opportunities

Position Summary:

Direct and manage the process and people that are responsible for short term maintenance and long-term reliability improvements at the Kuraray Vinyl Acetate and Elvanol plant in La Porte, TX. Lead the team to follow safe work practices while operating the Technology department within its annual budget. This must be done in a safe and efficient manner that complies with company management and engineering standards, specifications, and government regulations. The position oversees the multiple elements of the Process Safety Management program to ensure compliance with OSHA and Risk Management Plan (RMP). Increased plant reliability and uptime as a result of effective preventive and predictive maintenance techniques and efficient use of capital expenditures are the responsibility of this position.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with regulatory, company, and departmental Safety, Health and Environmental guidelines, policies, and procedures
• Provide Technical Engineering leadership to 12 engineers and management of the PSM program, including management of the MOC process, and capital project pipeline
• Review and troubleshoot reliability issues with equipment
• Establish and execute budgets, performance goals, and Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) for the Technology department, while complying with the terms and conditions of the La Porte Site Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)

Qualifications:

• B.S. or M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering with a strong process engineering background
• Minimum of twelve to fifteen years plant experience across a combination of all roles
  • Experience working with a highly hazardous process is required
• Minimum of ten years of management experience in engineering or production
• Experience with Process Safety Management (PSM), especially Process Hazards Analysis, Process Safety Information, Management of Change, Pre-Start-Up Safety Reviews, Incident Investigation and Reporting, Operating Procedures and Safe Practices, and Auditing
• Demonstrated experience with driving a Capital Project Management Team.
• Demonstrated experience Project Management and economic feasibility studies.
• Possess a strong knowledge of government regulations affecting chemical plant operations.
• Leadership skills to manage technical resources to apply technical knowledge to analyze data, troubleshoot effectively, and then develop practical solutions for both process and equipment issues
• Demonstrated ability to teach, coach, mentor, and develop engineering professionals as well as the ability to work in both a self-managed and team-based environment
• Demonstrated skills in leadership, team building, organizational development, and achieving results through influence and negotiation
  • Ability to act as a change agent to move the organization in a new direction if necessary.
• Excellent planning skills: Ability to coordinate several activities with several different people at the same time. Ability to prioritize work to meet business critical goals and tasks.
• Ability to make quick, data-driven decisions, sometimes based on past experiences when there is limited information.
• Good interpersonal skills across a broad range of employees and job functions
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including potential language and cross-cultural challenges with expatriates, routine interactions with every department in the company, and direct communication with executive management
• Ability to understand and explain complex problems and solutions

We offer a competitive compensation package that includes base pay and an annual incentive. This program is designed to reward individual performance and align overall rewards with corporate and team performance.

Our employees enjoy an attractive healthcare benefits package, including wellness reimbursements to promote a healthy lifestyle. We also provide an Educational Reimbursement Plan, helping our employees fulfill their career goals, as well as a competitive 401(k) through Fidelity Investments.

Please apply online at: http://www.kuraray.us.com/careers/

Kuraray America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer AA M/F/disability/protected veteran status.

No third party candidates accepted.