Sr. Process Safety Engineer

Description

Buckman is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, TN, USA, committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace, and promoting sustainable development. Buckman delivers exceptional service and innovative solutions to our customers globally in the pulp and paper, leather, and water treatment sectors to help boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality, and provide a measurable return on investment.

Position Summary

As a Senior Process Safety Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in safeguarding people, the environment, and business continuity by leading the development, execution, and continuous improvement of the plant’s Process Safety Management (PSM) systems. Working at the intersection of engineering, operations, and risk management, you will serve as the site’s subject matter expert in process safety, applying deep technical knowledge and sound judgment to ensure the safe operation of complex chemical processes.

In this role, you are expected to operate with a high degree of independence, managing critical programs and initiatives that directly influence the plant’s regulatory compliance, risk exposure, and operational reliability. You will act as a strategic advisor and technical leader—guiding cross-functional teams in the identification and mitigation of process hazards, designing inherently safer systems, and embedding a robust safety culture across all levels of the organization.

You will have wide latitude in managing work, solving complex problems, and mentoring less experienced staff. Your work will have site-wide impact, and your insights may influence corporate policy or regional strategy. Success in this position requires a proactive, analytical thinker with excellent communication skills and a strong ability to influence others through credibility and collaboration.

You’ll report to the site Manager, and collaborate closely with operations, maintenance, engineering, capital projects, and corporate SHE resources. You may also represent the site in global process safety networks or external industry forums.

Key Outcomes/Responsibilities

Strategic/Technical Leadership

• Develop, lead and enhance plant-wide PSM systems, ensuring alignment with corporate standards and continuous performance improvement.
• Assist in the preparation of SOPs for new or improved products together with R&D and Pilot Plant
• Drive outcomes in key process safety areas such as Management of Change, PHA/LOPA facilitation, and risk assessments.
• Anticipate emerging risks and proactively develop controls and contingency plans.

Operational Execution

• Deliver fully compliant and auditable PSM programs in accordance with OSHA 1910.119, EPA RMP, CCPS Risk Based Process Safety, and local regulatory frameworks.
• Advise & integrate process safety considerations into capital projects and plant modifications.
• Conduct hazard analyses and support implementation of inherently safer designs.

Stakeholder Management & Influence

• Act as a recognized technical authority and change agent in process safety.
• Influence operational and engineering teams to elevate process safety ownership.
• Train, coach, and mentor junior engineers and site personnel to build internal capability.

Performance and Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause investigations of process safety events; deliver corrective actions that prevent recurrence.
• Develop and track leading and lagging PSM metrics; analyze trends and report insights to senior site and corporate leadership.
• Contribute to global process safety network practice and benchmarking efforts.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 7–10+ years of experience in process safety within the chemical manufacturing industry.
• Deep knowledge of hazard analysis methods (e.g., HAZOP, LOPA), process design, and safety instrumented systems.
• Familiarity with specialty chemicals, batch processing, or reactive systems preferred.
• Experience with risk assessment tools, process modeling software (e.g., PHAST, ALOHA, or similar), and regulatory compliance.

Preferred Qualifications

• CCPSC (Certified Process Safety Professional), PE, or equivalent certification highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of reactive chemistry and runaway reaction prevention
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify hazards and implement effective solutions
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skill for cross-functional collaboration and training delivery
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.

Language: English

Travel: 5-10%

Level: Management