Director of Plant Engineering – Mechanical Systems

The Director of Plant Engineering – Mechanical Systems oversees all aspects of mechanical infrastructure and utilities in one or more industrial plants. This includes steam systems, piping networks, rotating equipment, HVAC, pressure vessels, and mechanical utilities. The director ensures engineering compliance, maintenance efficiency, asset integrity, and long-term plant reliability through strategic leadership, system design governance, and innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

🏭 Plant Mechanical Systems Oversight:

• Lead design, improvement, and standardization of all plant mechanical systems

• Manage critical systems including boilers, pumps, compressors, chillers, piping networks, HVAC units, and material handling equipment

• Ensure integration between utilities, production machinery, and facility systems

🧠 Engineering Leadership & Governance:

• Define engineering best practices for mechanical design, upgrades, and troubleshooting

• Enforce compliance with relevant codes (ASME B31.3/B31.1, API, NFPA, ISO)

• Approve mechanical project scopes, technical specs, and capital expenditures (CAPEX)

🛠️ Maintenance & Reliability Strategy:

• Partner with maintenance and reliability teams to drive uptime, reduce failures, and optimize PM/PdM

• Implement RCM (Reliability-Centered Maintenance) and CBM (Condition-Based Monitoring)

• Approve equipment overhaul standards and root cause analysis reports

⚙️ Project & Asset Management:

• Oversee major mechanical projects: retrofits, expansions, replacements, or shutdowns

• Ensure effective asset lifecycle management of pressure systems and rotating equipment

• Lead asset integrity strategies, inspection intervals, and criticality analysis

📊 Data-Driven Decision Making:

• Utilize CMMS, SCADA, and condition monitoring data to identify engineering opportunities

• Track KPIs including OEE, MTTR, MTBF, energy consumption, and equipment availability

• Lead energy optimization, steam efficiency, and emissions reduction projects

👥 Team & Vendor Management:

• Lead multidisciplinary teams of plant engineers, maintenance planners, and project leads

• Develop technical training programs and upskilling initiatives

• Manage relationships with EPC contractors, OEMs, and engineering consultants

📑 Risk, Compliance & Safety:

• Ensure all mechanical systems are safe, code-compliant, and audit-ready

• Lead HAZOPs, MOCs, pressure relief reviews, and fire protection systems planning

• Implement safety enhancements and mechanical system upgrades to reduce risk exposure

Key Focus Areas:

• ✅ Optimization of mechanical utilities (steam, air, water, HVAC, cooling towers)

• ✅ Mechanical reliability and uptime in continuous process plants

• ✅ Design standardization, system efficiency, and energy management

• ✅ Plant expansion, shutdown planning, and critical equipment upgrades

• ✅ Cross-functional collaboration with production, maintenance, and HSE teams

Technical Expertise Required:

• Steam systems, pressure vessels, rotating machinery (pumps, fans, compressors)

• HVAC and environmental control systems

• Process and utility piping networks

• Mechanical insulation, vibration control, and thermal design

• Use of engineering tools: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Caesar II, ANSYS, CMMS platforms

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic thinker with an operations mindset

• Strong project management and cost-control skills

• Decisive leader who can balance plant reliability with capital constraints

• Influential communicator across shop floor, leadership, and third-party vendors

• Advocates continuous improvement, Lean principles, and sustainable engineering

Work Conditions:

• Based at the plant with regular walkthroughs and cross-departmental interactions

• May require presence during critical outages, shutdowns, or system commissioning

• Occasional travel to support multi-plant infrastructure or engineering reviews