Principal Process Engineer – Commissioning / Chemical Process / Composites / Pilot / FOAK / HAZOP

Company: Brightsmith
Apply for the Principal Process Engineer – Commissioning / Chemical Process / Composites / Pilot / FOAK / HAZOP
Location:
Job Description:

Brightsmith are pleased to be representing an innovative climate technology company developing advanced processes to recover and regenerate high-value materials from industrial waste streams, supporting sustainable manufacturing across aerospace, defence, and industrial sectors.

Please note that previous experience leading process engineering teams, pilot plant commissioning programmes, and technology scale-up activities within chemicals, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, or similar process industries is STRONGLY desired.

What’s in it for you?

High impact role: Opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary engineering team taking a project from design into a first-of-a-kind pilot. This position is integral to leading this transition from pre-pilot to pilot.

Flexibility and Growth: This role has a broad scope, encouraging you to engage with a wide range of responsibilities and wear many hats related to the technology and company strategy

Technology: You’ll have the opportunity to become an expert in the team’s patented technology, and work alongside some of the best in the industry.

Responsibilities:

  • Lead the build, commissioning, and scale-up of pilot plant assets from pre-pilot through to full pilot scale
  • Manage engineering work packages, project milestones, and delivery of the scale-up programme
  • Act as the key engineering authority for process design, documentation, and technical decision-making
  • Own process engineering deliverables including PFDs, P&IDs, mass balances, energy balances, and equipment specifications
  • Lead and facilitate HAZOP studies, risk assessments, and process safety reviews

Requirements:

Essential

  • Significant process engineering experience within chemicals, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, or related process industries
  • Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams, technical programmes, or plant commissioning projects
  • Strong process design experience including development and review of engineering documentation
  • Experience scaling technologies from development through pilot or commercial implementation
  • Strong understanding of process safety and experience leading or chairing HAZOP studies
  • People management experience with responsibility for coaching and developing engineers
  • Knowledge of process equipment including pumps, heat exchangers, vessels, and associated systems

Desirable:

  • Experience with solvent-based, reactive, or chemically complex process systems
  • Experience within recycling, regeneration, circular economy, or sustainability-focused technologies
  • Track record commissioning new process assets from design through steady-state operation
  • Exposure to composite materials, advanced manufacturing, or materials processing technologies

If this role sounds like a good fit for you, please apply below or reach out directly to a.knight@brightsmithgroup.com to apply directly.

Posted: June 7th, 2026