Process Development Leader
Location: North Milwaukee / Sheboygan, WI area
About the Role
Join our brand-new manufacturing facility dedicated to producing high-purity specialty chemicals for the semiconductor industry. You will take pilot‐scale processes and lead their scale-up to full-scale production, specifying and commissioning the necessary equipment. As we grow, you’ll have the opportunity to evolve into Plant Manager—overseeing operations, staffing, and continuous improvements.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead scale-up efforts from pilot batches to commercial production for a diverse portfolio of high-purity chemicals.
- Develop and optimize chemical reaction and distillation processes to ensure product quality, yield, and safety.
- Specify, procure, and commission process equipment (reactors, distillation columns, filtration systems, etc.).
- Collaborate with engineering, procurement, and safety teams to establish process controls and SOPs.
- Troubleshoot scale-up challenges, proactively identifying and mitigating technical risks.
- Establish metrics and reporting to track process performance, cost efficiency, and uptime.
- Mentor junior engineers and, in time, help build and lead the plant’s operations team.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field; Master’s or PhD preferred.
- 10+ years’ hands-on experience scaling chemical processes—preferably for high-purity or specialty products.
- Proven ability to design, specify, and install production-scale equipment.
- Strong problem-solving skills with a track record of anticipating and overcoming scale-up hurdles.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.
Preferred Experience
- Previous leadership or project management experience in a chemical manufacturing environment.
- Familiarity with semiconductor-grade chemical standards and contamination control.
- Experience developing process documentation, P&IDs, and operator training materials.