Project Modeling Engineer - Decatur, IL

Project Modeling Engineer is responsible for supporting projects in all stages of Research and Development with development of financial, cost, and process models to provide the information needed by Management, Project Managers, and Researchers to evaluate projects and clarify the highest impact areas for further investigation. The engineer is in charge of understanding and evaluating process alternatives, and modeling processes based on data from literature and patent reviews, bench, pilot, demonstration and commercial scale trials, and vendor information. The engineer provides mass and energy balances, PFDs/P&IDs, capital cost estimates, sensitivity and Monte Carlo analyses, and evaluation of key financial results. The engineer will be expected to work with and mentor undergraduate interns as part of the work process, and they are expected to present and summarize information in clear and thorough reports and presentations.  
This position is expected to work across various groups including vendors, contractors,
Centers of Excellence, operations, and R&D.

Responsibilities:
The following represents the majority of the duties performed by the position, but are not meant to be all-inclusive nor prevent other duties from being assigned when necessary.Conduct engineering studies and evaluate and recommend technology choices for nutrition, sustainable chemical, biofuel, and fermentation processes.Compare and contrast technologies in terms of operational performance and economic feasibility.Assess various performance specifications for key unit operations or equipment.Utilize modeling tools (i.e. Aspen Plus, HYSYS, Excel-based models) to evaluate proposed and current processes (plant-wide as well as sub-systems) and prepare mass and energy balances of unit operations or whole plants.Evaluate processing parameter alternatives and technologies to maximize economic performance of an identified process.Estimate capital requirements of various technology and process configurations and determine key drivers from conceptual development stage through demonstration.Generate detailed financial models (evaluating EVA, ROIC, NPV, etc.) based on estimated process costs and OPEX, CAPEX, and market variables.Use modeling tools to determine key drivers in overall value of a commercialized process, including Sensitivity Analysis and Monte Carlo/probabilistic modeling.Aid researchers in understanding key parameters for design of experiments for pilot and bench trials to maximize the ultimate commercial value of a technology or process.Participate in design of bench, pilot, and full-scale systems. Update models using data obtained from operating equipment to assist in optimizing operation of that equipment.Interact with plant engineers, vendors, and contractors during all stages of process development.Support Capital Excellence and Process Optimization teams in implementation of proposed changes to plant operations, as well as provide technical support to the existing processes.Write detail reports and prepare comprehensive presentations.Work with student and recent graduate interns to complete modeling activities; provide training, guidance, and feedback for new interns.Education:A Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, or a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering, Food Technology, Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent) with experience in solving mass balances, thermodynamics, and separations (including distillation), is required. Experience:Zero to five years of experience in process operation, engineering design, and/or R&D in the food and/or chemical industry. The ideal individual has experience assessing process operation costs, estimating capital for large projects, building financial models and evaluating project economics – including sensitivity and probabilistic analyses, designing processes, and evaluating new technologies. Experience with process modeling and capital estimation tools – such as Aspen Plus and Aspen Capital Cost Estimator is desired. Experience with a range of unit operations in nutrition, sustainable materials, and biofuels is also desired.Skills:Must possess well-developed analytical skills to analyze and interpret scientific data when designing and evaluating chemical processes.Good written and oral communication skills to communicate with managers, engineering, and R&D staff via reports and presentations.Strong organizational skills to manage large amounts of data and multiple projects.Able to function within matrix project management environment.Strong leadership skills to encourage open collaboration, provide technical expertise, and positively contribute to research teams.Effective communication of engineering data with research, operations, and business staff.RequirementsMust be willing to travel (