Lead Process Engineer - MAF Refinery

About the role

Orion Group is recruiting a Lead Process Engineer for the MAF Refinery, based in Muscat, Oman. The contract is for 1 year and is extendable. The role provides strong technical expertise for the leadership, development, implementation and continuous improvement of process engineering activities at Sohar Refinery's downstream Omani assets, under the Team Leader Process Engineering scope.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the resolution of complex operational problems at Sohar refinery and identify opportunities to optimise operations.
• Provide guidance and support to operations, engineering and maintenance teams so that projects and service targets are met.
• Improve gross margins through OPEX optimisation and proactive monitoring of quality and volume targets.
• Analyse data to find optimisation opportunities across process units and equipment, and participate in complex design work, reviewing it against design intent.
• Resolve business-impacting issues using advanced problem-solving tools, balancing economic, operating, maintenance and technical factors.
• Use and develop process simulation tools, validate and maintain unit simulation models, and develop heat and material balances, process flow diagrams and minor plant modifications.
• Perform root cause analysis and propose corrective actions, and take part in HAZOP studies for facility modifications.
• Prepare preliminary documents for tender submissions, and prepare technical and commercial evaluation reports on catalyst chemicals purchases.
• Develop technical procedures, validate designs and findings of junior and senior staff, and act as technical authority for Functional Review of Management of Change (MoC).
• Liaise with catalyst and technology vendors and engineering contractors, review monthly and quarterly reports, contribute to budget preparation and help improve departmental processes.

Required profile

• 15+ years of total experience in oil and gas (downstream) and 15+ years in a similar Lead Process Engineer role.
• 5+ years as a process engineer in Platformer/CCR and hydrotreating units, and 5+ years in CDU, LPG Merox, amine recovery, sulphur recovery and desalination.
• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or equivalent.
• Excellent written, reading and spoken English.

Required skills

• Process plant understanding (P&ID/PFD, engineering drawings, OEM manuals) and DCS systems.
• Refinery and aromatic complex operations, including static and rotating equipment.
• HSE knowledge (process safety, H2S awareness, fire fighting, emergency response).
• Simulation tools such as Aspen Engineering Suite and PetroSim.
• SAP, MS Office, and benchmarking tools such as Solomon.