Principal Engineer, Manufacturing Projects -CapEx

About the role

Lead the execution of high-impact capital investments that drive growth, improve reliability, enhance sustainability, and strengthen operational excellence across manufacturing sites. Serve as the overall project leader, accountable for delivering capital projects ranging from $2 million to $50 million USD safely, on schedule, and within budget. From concept development through engineering, construction, startup, and closeout, collaborate with cross-functional teams and external partners to transform strategic business objectives into successful operational outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of capital projects ranging from $2 million to $50 million USD from project initiation through startup and closeout including FEL, detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, and project closure.
• Serve as the overall project leader accountable for scope, cost, schedule, safety, quality, and project performance.
• Develop project execution strategies, resource plans, contracting approaches, and implementation roadmaps aligned with business objectives.
• Establish and maintain project scope, cost estimates, schedules, risk registers, and project controls processes.
• Lead interdisciplinary project teams consisting of engineering, operations, maintenance, procurement, construction, and technical specialists.
• Ensure compliance with Celanese project management standards, engineering specifications, safety requirements, and environmental regulations.
• Drive a strong safety culture throughout project execution, ensuring contractor and employee adherence to safety expectations and zero-incident performance.
• Manage external engineering firms, contractors, equipment suppliers, and construction organizations to achieve project objectives.
• Monitor project performance through key metrics and proactively address scope changes, schedule risks, cost variances, and execution challenges.
• Facilitate project reviews, gate approvals, management presentations, and stakeholder communications throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate with manufacturing leadership to minimize operational disruption and optimize project integration into existing facilities.
• Lead risk identification, mitigation planning, and contingency management to support successful project outcomes.
• Ensure constructability, operability, maintainability, and reliability considerations are incorporated during project development and execution.
• Support procurement activities including bid evaluations, contractor selection, contract negotiations, and supplier management.
• Oversee construction management activities, including field execution planning, safety oversight, quality assurance, and contractor performance.
• Lead commissioning, startup, and turnover activities to ensure successful project handoff to operations.
• Develop and maintain project financial forecasts, cash flow projections, and capital expenditure reporting.
• Identify and implement opportunities for project execution improvement, cost optimization, and schedule acceleration.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence throughout the project organization.

Measures of Success

• Delivery of assigned projects within approved scope, budget, and schedule targets.
• Achievement of project safety objectives, including zero significant safety incidents.
• Successful startup and operational performance of completed projects.
• Effective management of project risks and mitigation plans.
• Positive stakeholder satisfaction and business partner feedback.
• Achievement of project financial objectives and capital efficiency targets.
• Compliance with Celanese engineering, project management, environmental, and safety standards.
• Effective contractor and supplier performance management.
• Successful commissioning, turnover, and operational readiness execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering, project management, capital project execution, manufacturing, or related industrial environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading major capital projects ranging from $2 million to $50 million USD.
• Experience managing projects within chemical, petrochemical, specialty materials, refining, energy, or other process manufacturing industries.
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies, execution strategies, and project controls.
• Experience managing engineering contractors, construction contractors, and equipment suppliers.
• Knowledge of construction management, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness processes.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent capital projects and balancing competing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.
• Experience utilizing project scheduling and project controls software preferred.

Required Skills

• Strong project leadership and execution capabilities with a proven track record of delivering capital projects safely, on time, and within budget.
• Strong financial acumen, including capital budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and economic evaluation.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and influence decision-making across organizational levels.
• Excellent planning, organization, and prioritization skills in a dynamic project environment.
• Strong risk management and problem-solving capabilities.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior leaders without direct reporting authority.
• Strong negotiation and contractor management skills.
• Ability to effectively manage competing priorities and changing project requirements.
• Strong analytical and decision-making capabilities.
• High level of personal accountability, ownership, and results orientation.
• Proficiency with project management tools, scheduling systems, and capital project reporting systems.
• Ability to travel to domestic and international manufacturing locations as required.