What are the responsibilities and job description for the Process Hazard Safety Engineer position at FutureFuel Chemical Company?
Process Hazard Safety Engineer
FutureFuel Chemical Company – Technology Division
About the Position
FutureFuel Chemical Company is seeking a Process Hazard Safety Engineer to join our Process Hazard Evaluation, Scale-up, and Optimization (PHES) Laboratory. This role is central to ensuring process safety, scale-up, and optimization for specialty chemical production. The engineer will support projects from bench-scale research through commercialization, working alongside chemists, engineers, and production teams. In addition to hands-on lab work, the engineer will serve on the company’s Process Safety Review Committee, providing critical expertise to uphold compliance and drive innovation.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct hazard evaluations of compounds and processes, including OSHA PSM requirements, facility siting, vapor release modeling, vapor cloud/dust explosion analysis, and calorimetry studies.
- Perform batch and continuous process modeling using ASPEN.
- Lead process scale-up activities such as mixing studies, agitator design, reactor design, and kinetics evaluation.
- Drive process optimization initiatives related to yield, mass and energy balances, throughput, cycle time, and cost reduction.
- Support the development and commercialization of fine chemicals, performance chemicals, agricultural actives, polymers, emulsions, monomers, intermediates, and custom synthesis products.
- Document findings, scale-up results, and hazard evaluations in technical reports.
- Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams including chemists, engineers, technicians, technologists, and production managers.
- Serve as a member of the Process Safety Review Committee.
- Provide supervision, coaching, and development for technologists and technicians.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
- Strong background in process hazard evaluation, ASPEN process modeling, air emission estimates, process scale-up, and process optimization.
- Ability to apply technical knowledge to assess process safety situations and alternatives.
- Strong technical and business writing skills.
- Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills with initiative and follow-through.
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD in Chemical Engineering.
- Experience with batch and continuous production of complex organic specialty chemicals.
- Familiarity with tools such as Mettler RC1 Calorimeter, Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Reactive System Screening Tool, CHETAH, and ASPEN.
- Supervisory or mentoring experience with technologists and technicians.
Working at FutureFuel
- Compensation: We offer competitive compensation packages, including a relocation program and Advancement Ladder.
- Comprehensive Benefits: We offer excellent medical, dental, and vision insurances, 401k matching, an employee work-out center, life insurance, parental leave, pet insurance, tuition reimbursement for continuing education, paid military leave, wellness incentives, and disability insurance.
- Culture: Expect a company culture that is friendly, inviting, helpful, inclusive, supportive, dedicated, and full of brilliant team members.
About FutureFuel
FutureFuel Chemical Company (FFCC) is a specialty and fine chemical manufacturing producer with an over forty-year successful plant history. FFCC has three business segments: custom/toll manufacturing, performance chemicals, and biodiesel. FFCC serves a wide variety of markets including pharmaceutical intermediates and products, nylon and polyester fibers, cleaning products, agricultural products, paints and coating, and fuels and energy.
FFCC is a small publicly traded company with approximately 500 employees that has a rich history of complex organic chemistry innovation, excellent environmental stewardship, and excellent health and safety compliance. We are a growing U.S. manufacturer of specialty organic chemicals and premium biofuels. Our company is headquartered in Clayton, St Louis and publicly listed on the NYSE under "FF". We have a world class integrated biofuels and specialty chemicals manufacturing facility in Batesville, Arkansas. This position is located at the Batesville plant. This is an on-site position.
About the Location
Batesville, Arkansas is a small rural town of about 10,000 on the foothills of the Ozark Mountains with excellent area schools, a University of Arkansas 2-year college and Lyon College, a highly rated Liberal Arts College. We are a strong outdoor community with the White River, nearby lakes, parks, bike trails, dog park, walking trails, excellent soccer and baseball/softball facilities, a thriving community and aquatics center and Historic Main Street, and close access to Blanchard Springs Caverns, The Ozark Folk Center, and the Buffalo River, one of the longest undammed rivers west of the Mississippi and the nation’s first National River designated by Congress in 1972 to preserve its clean water and other outstanding values. Batesville has a regional health care center, Community Theatre and Arts Council, a strong Chamber of Commerce, Mark Martin NASCAR Museum, and a regional historic museum. Visit Batesville at cityofbatesville.com.
We thank all applicants in advance for their interest. All applicants will be carefully reviewed; however only those who are being considered for an interview will be contacted. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the US without restriction (Green Card or Citizenship). We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.