Pilot Plant Operator

You’re purpose driven. Growth minded. Ready to stretch your potential. That’s the spirit of the community you’ll find at Orbia: where the purpose to advance life around the world drives our global team of over 23,000 every single day. 

From creating solutions to deliver clean water, secure food supplies and reliable information to steering material advances that power the future of green and smart cities, transportation, and healthcare, we never settle for “good enough” when there’s an opportunity to make life better. Where purpose comes to life, it changes lives. This is what we live for.

Polymer Solutions is part of Orbia, a community of companies bound together by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world.

Schedule: Rotating schedule, 6am-6pm

Pay: $25/hr and up DOE

Location: 33653 Walker Road, Avon Lake, OH 44012 

At Polymer Solutions, we focus on innovation and proprietary technologies that create exceptional value, transforming raw materials into valuable products. We create solutions for a healthy and sustainable future. For over 70 years Polymer Solutions is providing vinyl resins, derivatives, and services to manufacture products that improve living standards and quality of life worldwide. Polymer Solutions has 2,700+ employees in 9+ countries worldwide with production sites in North, Central, and South America, and as well as in Europe. Together we gear up to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges: Advancing life around the world by creating solutions for a healthy and sustainable future.

Principal Purpose:

The Pilot Plant Operator primary job responsibility is to operate PVC pilot plant reactors and associated equipment. This person will be trained in all aspects of how the reaction, recovery and stripping operations work. This person is responsible for keeping equipment running by trouble shooting, performing minor maintenance or requesting the proper support.

This position is also responsible for cleaning the vessels and completing the required paperwork during processing. This position monitors and trouble shoots the DM water system, hydraulic systems for B-414. This position monitors and trouble shoots the supplied utilities for B-414. This position is responsible for all MexiChem VCM systems pertaining to Specialty Resins R&D facility.

They will be the leader as the incident commander in charge of ERT activities for HS&E.
They will be responsible mentoring operators and the operator technicians. They will be expected to maintain a high level of safe & efficient daily operations in the pilot plant.

Essential Activities:

• Operate PVC reactors and associated equipment in a safe, environmentally sound, and efficient manner.
• Monitor, adjust and accurately record reaction variables such as temperatures, pressures and agitator rpms.
• Follow all SOP’s and SP’s .
• Proper use of all PPE.
• Report and follow up on any near miss incidents. Participate in reviews and root cause analysis findings.
• Make up soaps following recipes.
• Write end of shift status reports.
• Able to work in a team environment
• Support policy for over-time and vacation coverage.
• Read and understand technical logs and memos.
• Operate VCM Tank Farm Equipment; Unload Railcars, Transfer and Recovery Of VCM.
• Operate VCM Thermal Oxidation Unit.
• Lead Emergency Response Team as the Incident Commander.
• Must be able to safely handle chemicals classified as hazardous and must be able to properly label and move containers containing hazardous chemicals.
• Immediately report releases or spills to appropriate personnel or regulatory agencies. Take corrective actions to minimize environmental impact.
• Investigate and document findings to all fugitive VCM emissions.

Other Activities:

• Initiate and follow through with maintenance work orders.
• Utilize work permits such as hot work, equipment isolation and lockout tag outs.
• Prepare equipment for maintenance.
• Participate in preventive maintenance program.
• Perform general housekeeping.
• Recommend process improvements.
• Ability to trouble shoot Chemical Plant Equipment and Make Minor Maintenance repairs.
• Ability to read and understand MSDS’s.
• Ability to Read and Understand P&ID’s for plant utility systems.
• Be Able to Modify and Update SOP’s as Experiments Change.
• Participate in Process Safety Management requirements, PHA’s, P&ID updates, Mechanical Integrity.
• Lead Safety Training and Operators' Meetings.
• Ability to understand and follow recipe specification sheets, as well as carry out experiments as specified by scientists.
• Must demonstrate ability to use math functions to calculate weights of chemicals for experiments.
• Monitor maintenance and contractor performance; ensure all safety procedures and permit conditions are being followed.
• Participate in B.O.I.’s
• Perform / participate in training activities.

The compensation for this position will typically range from $25/hr. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity.

The compensation package may also include short and long-term incentive compensation. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes healthcare coverage, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, paid company holidays, paid vacation time, paid sick time, parental leave, short- and long-term disability leave, and an employee assistance program. At Orbia, we are committed to taking care of our employees and believe in providing comprehensive support so you can thrive at work and home

We welcome purpose-driven dreamers, doers, and builders, recognizing that it takes difference to make a difference. If you’re ready to bring your skills, talents, and perspective to moving your career, the company, people, and the planet forward, we’d like to hear from you.  

We believe that every voice matters; every community deserves respect; and every challenge is an opportunity and united by empathy, we are stronger for our different perspectives. We are dedicated to building a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace that supports the needs of all our employees regardless of their role, location, identity, and background.