PROCESS ENGINEER JD

Role Purpose

To optimise, control, and continuously improve the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) process at the Jubail 3B desalination plant. The Process Engineer ensures safe operations, strict HSE compliance, WPA contractual compliance, and accurate KPI monitoring and monthly invoicing via PASS. The role supports Operations, Maintenance, and Chemistry teams and carries delegated technical responsibilities from the O&M Manager.

Key Responsibilities

1. Process Operations & Performance Monitoring

- Monitor all operational KPIs: TA, CA, Load Factor, recovery, DP trends, flux, SPC (kWh/m³), SDI15, turbidity, pH, and chemical dosing, etc.

- Conduct daily/weekly trend analysis and identify performance deterioration.

- Lead technical root-cause investigations for plant trips, pretreatment issues, membrane fouling, and SDI excursions.

- Plan and evaluate CIP activities, including chemistry selection, cleaning setpoints, and post-CIP performance verification.

- Optimise pretreatment performance (coagulation, filtration, cartridge filters), ensuring stable RO feed quality.
- Perform RO membrane normalization recording, trending, and analysis to detect early fouling, scaling, or performance deviation.

2. WPA Compliance & Contractual Performance

- Ensure complete adherence to the Water Purchase Agreement (WPA), including operational, quality, performance, and reporting requirements.

- Monitor SDI, turbidity, water quality, and compliance parameters.

- Participate in outage classification and ensure strict application of WPA definitions (Planned, Forced, NPE, FM/WTTCO).

- Support monthly performance reports submitted to AJIWC/SWPC, ensuring traceability and accuracy.

- Identify risks for LDs and advise management with proper justification.

3. Invoicing & PASS (Plant Availability & Settlement System)

- Prepare and validate all process inputs for monthly invoicing in PASS.

- Verify outages, TA/CA calculations, availability hours, deemed production, and supporting evidence.

- Ensure all PASS submissions fully align with WPA formulas and time-stamps.

- Coordinate internally with Finance, Ops, and Maintenance to achieve 100% invoicing accuracy.

4. HSE Responsibilities (Critical for the Role)

- Ensure compliance with all ENGIE and plant HSE procedures and Life-Saving Rules.

- Participate in hazard identification, risk assessments (HAZID, HAZOP), and HSE audits.

- Ensure safe chemical handling, storage, dosing, and spill-response practices.

- Maintain strict compliance with environmental discharge permits, water quality limits, and regulatory reporting.

- Support incident investigation and provide process input to safety-related events.

- Ensure laboratory and water sampling activities meet safety and quality standards.

- Promote a strong safety culture among operators and chemists.

5. Process Engineering & Technical Support

- Review and update PFDs, P&IDs, mass balance, design criteria, and operating limits.

- Provide technical support during shutdowns, maintenance activities, and equipment upgrades.
- Contribute to annual process and laboratory budgeting by identifying operational needs, forecasting chemical and consumable requirements, and supporting cost-optimization initiatives across pretreatment, RO, and water quality programs.

- Evaluate membrane performance, scaling/fouling indicators, and develop recovery actions.

- Interface with vendors for membranes, chemicals, media, filters, analyzers, and ERD/HP pump support.

- Support commissioning and start-up activities for RO/pretreatment equipment.

6. Chemistry & Environmental Compliance

- Maintain stable and compliant water chemistry for pretreatment, RO, and post-treatment.

- Oversee chemical dosing optimisation to reduce cost while ensuring stability and compliance.

- Lead process and chemistry audits (internal, environmental, and customer audits).

- Develop improvements in water quality, membrane longevity, and chemical usage efficiency.

7. Reporting & Documentation

- Prepare monthly performance sections for management and client reports.

- Maintain proper logs, environmental reports, water-quality records, and trend files.

- Ensure high-quality documentation for events, RCA, PASS evidence, and compliance reporting.

-Prepare, revise, and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Work Instructions, and process guidelines whenever operational, safety, or contractual changes require it.

8. Team Collaboration & Delegated Duties

- Provide guidance to operators and chemists on process operations, troubleshooting, and safety.

- Lead daily performance discussions when delegated by the O&M  Manager.

- Represent the plant in technical meetings, vendor visits, or customer interactions as required.

- Provide training for junior engineers, chemists, and operations staff.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

- Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Water Treatment Technology.

Experience

- 5–10 years experience in desalination process engineering, with strong focus on SWRO.

- Experience in start-up, commissioning, or troubleshooting of RO plants preferred.

- Familiarity with WPA/contractual frameworks is an advantage.

Skills

- Strong analytical skills in RO performance, water chemistry, and hydraulic/process calculations.

- Strong HSE awareness and proven safety performance.

- Ability to interpret PFDs, P&IDs, mass balance, and design documents.

- Excellent communication (English mandatory; Arabic an advantage).

- Strong documentation, reporting, and data analysis capability.