Project Overview:

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) will safely destroy 2,611 tons of mustard agent in mortar rounds and artillery projectiles stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) approximately 25 miles from Pueblo, Colorado. Neutralization followed by biotreatment is the technology selected by the Department of Defense to destroy the Pueblo chemical weapons stockpile. The PCAPP plant began the operations and munition destruction phase as of September 2016.  

All employees are subject and agree to random drug and alcohol testing as a condition of employment. Must be physically fit and able to work safely at an operating plant. Based on project goals and objectives, candidates established within our local community are desirable.

Position Summary:

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) is looking for a Cognizant Systems Engineer - Mechanical at the Pueblo, CO location. This position will report to the Project Engineer for Cognizant System Engineers at the PCAPP project. The purpose of the Cognizant System Engineer (CSE) program, at PCAPP, is to ensure the continued operational readiness of the systems within its scope. One of the primary aspects of the CSE program is the designation of CSEs who are responsible for:

Maintaining overall knowledge and awareness of assigned systems.

Providing systems engineering support for operations and maintenance.

Technical support for ensuring continued system operational readiness.

For each PCAPP is an operating plant that maintains engineering presence around the clock “24/7”. A shift CSE will be responsible to provide technical expertise and direction on all plant systems to ensure the safe, efficient, and reliable performance within the design and within environmental requirements, applicable codes and standards, approved procedures, and PCAPP policy. The CSEs have the primary responsibility to achieve resolution of technical issues and provide direction regarding or coordinating with the “System Owner” and/or Engineering Staff “discipline” expertise when required. 

This is a long-term assignment working the Dupont rotating schedule, with a possibility for short term or long term 4-10s straight days schedule as needed. The Dupont rotating shift schedule will require employees to go on a dedicated DuPont Shift Schedule (12 hours on at a time, rotating day, and night shifts). If needed, the day schedule work hours are from 6:30am-5:00pm Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday. Overtime hours will be required as deemed necessary.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidates will be expected to perform the following duties of this position in the areas of mechanical systems, but are not necessarily limited to:

Cognizant System Engineering

Maintain overall cognizance of the plant systems and be responsible for system engineering support for operations and maintenance.

Perform equipment equivalency evaluations for the replacement of obsolete parts.

Understand system design and operation, including conformance to environmental Resource and Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA), safety, and health requirements.

Understands and follows processes:

Maintenance Management

Work Control

Change Control

Document Control

Drawing Control

Conduct of Operations

Agent Safety

Limiting Conditions of Operations (LCOs)

Procurement, replacement, and related quality assurance requirements.

Working knowledge of the plant’s operation.

Vendor recommendations, manuals, and any product warnings.

Coordinates closely with other technical disciplines in planning and executing work as an integrated team.

Generates material requisitions for procurement of configured plant equipment and components.

Performs submittal reviews on vendor supplied configured plant equipment and components.

Resolve technical issues related to discipline and discuss with third parties (customer, suppliers, and regulators).

Performs field walkdowns.

Coordinates resolutions of technical issues within engineering discipline, with other engineering disciplines, and with operations, maintenance, and work planners.

Ensure that system configuration is being managed effectively.

Answering system(s) Nonconformance Reports.

Supporting permit modifications by attending any meetings and providing field walk downs, as required, with State of Colorado representatives.

Operations and Maintenance Support

Reviews daily operational logs, assists to resolve issues, and provides support.

Reviews and recommends improvements to standing operating procedures and facility/system related procedures.

Communicates system-specific maintenance as well as manufacturer and vendor recommendations and any product warnings.

Provides technical support to Operations, which includes:

Providing technical advice to ensure their understanding of the need for operational requirements.

Supporting personnel technical training.

Supporting operational readiness reviews and other testing activities.

Maintain technical knowledge of the process, equipment, and operations for assigned systems and ensure configuration control is maintained.

Work with operations and Maintenance to trouble shoot alarms, abnormal readings, abnormal trends and other anomalies or failure of equipment to support operational requirements.

Review reading sheets and historical data for assigned systems to identify abnormalities or trends that could indicate a degradation of the operational level of the system.

Provide Technical Direction to Maintenance and Work Control

Developing and reviewing purchase requisitions for replacement and spare parts.

Assisting in planning critical, unusual, or major maintenance activities.

Developing preventative maintenance and job plans.

Recommending changes in maintenance procedures based upon engineering evaluations of the trends.

Conducting investigations during upset conditions.

Preparing contract scope of work, which includes:

Attending pre-bid meetings and job-site visits, answering bidder questions, locating additional documentation needed to substantiate and answer bidder questions.

Interfacing with the subcontractor, attending in-progress review meetings, and providing additional information to the subcontractor, as required.

Performing final walk downs.

Coordinating with Operations, Maintenance, and the contractor on scheduling installation activities.

Certification Requirements

Complete required training and maintain qualifications associated with assignments.

The basic CSE qualification level includes prerequisite education and experience, training, familiarization with the PCAPP design, permitting and operational plans, and knowledge of processes and procedures applicable to CSE duties. Required reading is an important part of this qualification program and numerous required readings must be completed before satisfying the job requirements. The reading topics may not all be the same for all CSE qualification packages and are at the discretion of the Engineering Manager. 

In addition to the basic CSE qualification level, PCAPP CSEs will be assigned one or more PCAPP systems for specific qualification. For system-specific requirements, the CSE must demonstrate detailed system‑specific knowledge including key technical requirements, design basis information, and system interfaces, and demonstrate an understanding of specific Safety and Regulatory assumptions/implications for operation of the system. Final evaluation will be done by oral interview assessment, system walk-down or a combination of the two.

A CSE is fully qualified for his/her system when he/she has obtained the basic and system-specific qualifications.

Qualifications and Skills

Basic Qualifications:

Level 1: A recognized degree in Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering (or equivalent) from an accredited college or university with at least 6 years of relevant work experience or in lieu of a degree, minimum of 12 years of relevant work experience.

Level 2: A recognized degree in Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering (or equivalent) from an accredited college or university with at least 9 years of relevant work experience or in lieu of a degree, minimum of 15 years of relevant work experience.

Relevant experience includes but is not limited to, P&IDs, calculations, and specifications for Mechanical systems and equipment on power plants, refineries or chemical process facilities, or other types of engineering experience such as systems startup, mechanical and field engineering or plant operation in large industrial plants, utilities, process plants or other engineering/construction firms.

This role requires a facility-specific clearance that requires U.S. Citizenship to obtain.

Must be a US Citizen.

Must be able to obtain and maintain any security clearances required for this position according to Army Regulation 50-6 (Chemical Surety).

Minimum Qualifications:

Knowledge of industry, and regulatory guides, codes, and standards and demonstrated expertise in system management.

Knowledge of plant operations, system support and maintenance support activities.

Demonstrated experience in typical mechanical systems such as rotating equipment, pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, cooling towers, material handling systems, process equipment such as scrubbers, mixers, and steam systems.

Familiarity and ability to utilize Engineering and office automation tools.

Skill in oral and written communication.

Must be physically fit and able to work safely at an operating plant.

Preferred Qualifications:

Relevant experience in demilitarization of chemical weapons processes.

Experienced in typical engineering calculations, documentation and change control processes.

Certification as vibration analyst.

Knowledge chillers and cooling towers, including evaluating, testing and recommendations to Maintenance/contractors on repairs.

Demonstrated strong technical leadership skills.

Experience in government-based project execution, e.g., DOE, DOD etc.