Senior Project Engineer

Location:

JOB SUMMARY:

The Senior Project Engineer (Sr. PE) manages the end-to-end technical delivery of small capital investment projects (< $30M USD) within Airgas Merchant Gases (AMG). Serving as the central technical integrator, the Sr. PE leads facility design transition from conceptual FEED through execution and handover, adhering strictly to safety, budget, quality, and schedule standards. Demonstrates innovation in designing, choosing, and applying engineering strategies to resolve complex challenges, proactively identifying potential risks and establishing robust contingency plans.

Additionally, the Sr. PE provides independent technical support across the portfolio to ensure operational safety, reliability, and standards compliance. 

Location: Flexible / Primary Hubs (Radnor, PA | Houston, TX | Independence, OH)

Work Arrangement & Travel:

This position offers location flexibility across the U.S. Proximity to one of the Airgas locations listed above or residence near a major commercial airport is preferred. Requires approximately 30-40% cyclical travel to project and plant sites nationwide.

• Safety Excellence: Embed safety-by-design concepts across all engineering lifecycle stages and enforce project safety protocols.
• Governance & Standards: Align development and execution workflows with organizational guidelines, baseline technical rules, and regulatory codes.
• Risk Mitigation: Partner with IRM on Project Risk Identification (PRI); participate in PHA/HAZOP and LOPA reviews, tracking action items and safety safeguards to closure.
• Quality & Continuous Improvement: Maintain quality control over technical documentation and modular equipment; lead engineering capitalization evaluations and capture lessons learned.

• Solution & Strategy Development: Collaborate with business development and management during early opportunity evaluation to define technical solutions aligned with CAPEX/OPEX targets.
• Early Foundational Engineering Documents: Lead the creation, formalization, and maintenance of the Project Basis of Design (BoD), Site Data Sheet (SDS) & Block Flow Diagram (BFD), ensuring alignment with customer specifications, process requirements, and site atmospheric/environmental conditions.
• Engineering Scope & FEED Packages: Develop detailed Scope of Work (SoW) packages and FEED RFPs for internal resources or third-party engineering contractors.

• Design Governance: Assign and coordinate Design Authorities (DAs) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across disciplines (Process, Mechanical, Civil, E&I) to validate technical solutions.
• Technical decision-making: Rigorously evaluates system integration, life-cycle costs, technical feasibility, and plant operational impacts.
• Formal Design Reviews: Lead mandatory design reviews as required.
• Contractor Oversight: Act as Owner's Technical Representative for third-party engineering firms; manage RFIs, evaluate request change orders (RCOs), and track deliverables.
• Design-to-Cost (DTC), Minimum Essential Philosophy (MEP) and Value Engineering (VE): Drive cost transparency, eliminate unnecessary project scope, and optimize capital efficiency without compromising safety or quality.

• Procurement Support: Perform technical evaluations for RFQs, qualify supplier Inspection Test Plans (ITP), manage spares, and oversee FAT/SAT testing for major equipment.
• Field Support & Handover: Resolve site RFIs and non-conformances with field teams; support PSSR, punch list resolution, and as-built documentation packages for asset Turnover.
• Cost, Schedule, & Risk Control: Monitor technical deliverable schedules and budgets, manage change control workflows, and mitigate technical risks threatening baselines.

• Technical Aptitude & Multidisciplinary Mastery: Comprehensive understanding of Civil/Structural, Mechanical, Process Piping, Cryogenics, Electrical, Instrumentation, and Process Automation engineering disciplines.
• Industrial & Process Expertise: Deep theoretical and practical knowledge of industrial gas production processes, preferably cryogenic Air Separation Units (ASUs), Carbon Dioxide purification and liquefaction, and non-cryogenic adsorption (VSA/PSA).
• Rotating & Static Equipment Acumen: Demonstrated expertise in sizing, evaluating, and commissioning heavy machinery, including multi-stage centrifugal compressors, integrally geared machines, reciprocating compressors, cryogenic pumps, ambient vaporizers and cryogenic tanks.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written, verbal, and presentation capabilities, with demonstrated success communicating complex technical concepts across maintenance teams, plant managers, engineering contractors, and corporate executive leadership.
• Codes and Consensus Standards Mastery: Strong working knowledge of industry standards and statutory codes, including ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (Section VIII), ASME B31.3 Process Piping, Compressed Gas Association (CGA) standards, NFPA 55, and NFPA 70 (NEC).
• Decision-Making & Owner Mindset: Demonstrate ability to exercise sound engineering judgment and make decisions as an Owner's representative that balance technical performance, cost efficiency, safety, and long-term asset reliability.
• Management & Interpersonal Skills: Proven influential leadership, results orientation, strong interpersonal capability, conflict resolution, and collaborative stakeholder engagement skills.
• Innovation & Best Practices: Establishes engineering standards, updates internal quality assurance processes, and troubleshoots non-standard technical failures.

• Demonstrates results-oriented accountability and a strong sense of personal ownership over technical outcomes.
• Influences cross-functional project teams, internal Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), external engineering firms, production/operations and contractors without direct formal authority.
• Proactively takes initiative to address project bottlenecks, drive decision-making, and uphold the owner’s best interests.
• Establishes strong working relationships across diverse stakeholders and maintains alignment by incorporating operational constraints, plant operator requirements, and customer expectations into collaborative solutions.
• Applies structured analytical thinking to design challenges and technical disputes, de-escalating issues with data-driven solutions while firmly protecting project baselines.
• Thrives in fast-paced environments, remaining calm during unexpected changes while flexibly adapting tactics to safeguard safety, quality, and project standards.
• Demonstrates strong oral, written, and presentation skills to effectively communicate technical concepts, facilitate design reviews, and provide clear milestone reporting to leadership.
• Acts as a senior mentor to Project Engineers and team, elevating engineering standards, industrial gas process comprehension, and external contractor oversight across the department.

• Education: BS in Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent experience).

• Experience: 7+ years in continuous process plant design/capital projects, with 5+ years in industrial gas, cryogenic separation, or petrochemical industries.
• Owner's Rep Experience: Preferred experience as Owner’s Representative managing external EPCm contractors and stage-gate reviews.

30–40% travel depending on project locations.

Proficient in Google Workspace, Bluebeam Revu, Smartsheet, Autodesk Navisworks (3D model reviews), and AutoCAD (P&IDs, one-line diagrams, site layouts).

• Professional Engineer (PE) is preferred.

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Benefits

We care about and support our Airgas Families. This is evident not only through our competitive compensation but also through a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision plans, short-term and long-term disability, life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), pre-tax commuter transportation benefit, parental leave, vacation, sick time, floating holidays, jury duty and funeral/bereavement leave, and paid holidays for all eligible full-time employees.

Additionally, we offer our eligible employees a 401k plan with company matching funds, tuition reimbursement, discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents, and an Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children.

Associates who are members of collective bargaining units should review their bargaining agreement to determine whether they are eligible for some or all of the benefits described here and to see any special terms or conditions for eligibility.

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Your DIFFERENCES enhance our PERFORMANCE

At Airgas, we are committed to building a workplace that embraces  the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world.

We welcome and consider applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability or any other protected characteristic. We strongly believe a diverse organization opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to innovate by living our fundamentals, acting for our success and creating an engaging environment in a changing world.

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About Airgas 

Airgas, an Air Liquide company, is a leading U.S. supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods and related products; one of the largest U.S. suppliers of safety products; and a leading U.S. supplier of ammonia products and process chemicals. Through the passion and diversity of its 18,000 associates, Airgas fosters a culture of safety, customer success, sustainability and innovation. Airgas associates are empowered to share ideas, take initiative and make decisions. 

Airgas is a subsidiary of Air Liquide, a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare. Present in 60 countries with approximately 66,500 employees, Air Liquide serves more than 4 million customers and patients.

Join us for a stimulating experience: At Airgas, you matter and so does the work you do. As a member of our team, you play an important role in the success of your team, making sure our products are created sustainably and delivered safely and efficiently. In turn, you’ll find a welcoming workplace where you’re valued for who you are and where you can fill your potential while growing a fulfilling career — whatever path you choose.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Information
 

We are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.  

Airgas, an Air Liquide Company is a Government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Airgas does not discriminate against qualified applicants with disabilities, and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to the known disabilities of such individuals so as to ensure equal access to benefits and privileges of employment. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact us by email at [email protected].

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