Job Responsibilities
Responsible for capital projects from inception to final
acceptance testing and production start-up. Specific
responsiblities include defining project scope, providing
preliminary estimates, managing preliminary engineering
(occasionally performing preliminary engineering), leading hazard
assessments and process hazard analyses, preparing project
approval documents, data entry into SAP R3 for project execution
(investment management and purchasing), overseeing detailed
engineering, procurement and construction (including scope
changes), start-up, testing, spare part stocking, establishing
maintenance plans and equipment files. This portion of the job
takes approximately 25-40 hours/week.
Electrical systems integrity - includes design for electrical
installations (120V-480V), maintenance and distribution of all
electrical and process control documentation, management of 2
consulting electrical contractors, and ensuring proper labeling
of all plant electrical equipment. This portion of the job takes
between 5 and 15 hours/week.
Safety - includes weekly walk-throughs of all active job sites,
participation in the behavior based safety program (weekly), in-
process audit of at least one contractor's permits weekly,
participation in the committee to review and revise plant safe
work practices, and enforcement of safety rules throughout the
plant. These activities take between 5 and 10 hours/week.
|
Uppers
Good benefits, opportunities for training (although not necessarily the training
you would choose for yourself), seeing a project go from concept to operating
process is VERY cool.
|
Downers
Mundane paperwork. No possibility for promotion to management.
|
Lifestyle
Work hours are pretty flexible. 40/week is the norm, with longer hours during
critical project start-ups and plant-wide shutdowns. There are plenty of
opportunities to socialize on and off the job. Dress code is VERY casual, after
all we are climbing in and out of process vessels and construction areas all day.
There is little business travel - occasionally to inspect equipment at a
fabricator's shop, and frequently if assigned to a large project with an out of
town engineering firm.
|
Compensation
Base salary ranges from $58,000 - 70,000. Bonus elegibility up to
10%. There is a 401K with the first 5% contribution matched at
4%. Raises are rarely more than 3%, and "grade increases" or
promotion are very rare.
|
Advice to Jobseekers
If you are a woman, choose a different field. This is a tough
row to hoe - respect must be earned every time a new worker shows
up on the job site, bosses don't really think women belong out
there, and promotions are nearly impossible, because taking a
chance and promoting you is seen as too risky. Men - great
field, great starting salary, not much salary growth, but much
more management potential.
|
|
