Maintenance & Reliability Engineer

Title: Maintenance & Reliability Engineer

Location: LaPorte, TX

Who we are:

Voted one of the Nation's Best and Brightest Companies to Work for, Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, and resin production. With top-of-the-line research and production facilities and a vast network of supplies from around the world, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products. Kuraray America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Ltd. Based in Tokyo, Japan. Kuraray has operations in 32 countries and employs more than 11,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Why Kuraray:

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. Our team members are dedicated to expanding our business with committed professionals who share essential values such as integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability.

As a part of Kuraray America, Inc., our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins, and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world-leading innovator in the industries we service. Yet, despite our size, our people are more than just a number. As a new team member, you can expect to earn responsibility quickly. Our commitment to our people is visible in our comprehensive benefits package. As a Kuraray team member, you will have the opportunity to enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, incentive opportunities, and an excellent work environment.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer II to join our Maintenance team at the La Porte, Texas Vinyls manufacturing facility-Kuraray's largest U.S. site with two distinct chemical production lines. The Reliability & Maintenance Engineer role uses data-driven analysis of process and equipment performance to quantify and project impacts on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), supports day-to-day troubleshooting of process and equipment issues, and provides input to capital projects (equipment selection and design reviews).

This is a hands-on, data-driven position that bridges operations, maintenance, and project teams in a PSM-regulated environment. The successful candidate will combine strong engineering fundamentals with practical problem-solving skills to enhance safety, reliability, and operational efficiency in a dynamic chemical manufacturing setting.

Responsibilities:

Maintenance & Reliability Engineering

• Facilitate multi-discipline teams from operations, maintenance, engineering, safety, and projects to drive reliability improvements.
• Support or lead mechanical integrity initiatives affecting day-to-day availability.
• Identify, lead and/or support reliability improvement initiatives focused on mechanical integrity, safety, and plant performance.
• Conduct material selection and equipment specification reviews in alignment with plant needs and industry standards.
• Prepare and update detailed P&IDs and mechanical drawings to support equipment upgrades and design modifications.
• Partner with maintenance personnel during equipment overhauls, turnarounds, and outages; provide field and technical engineering support as needed.
• Support the company during offsite equipment repair and inspections.

Process Safety & Compliance

• Participate in Process Safety Management (PSM) activities, including Management of Change (MOC), Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs), and procedure reviews.
• Ensure engineering solutions align with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Stay current with RAGAGEP (e.g., API, ASME) and incorporate them into engineering practices.

Data & Technical Analysis

• Leverage process and equipment data to perform detailed analyses, quantify reliability gaps, and project impacts on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), delivering actionable recommendations that improve OEE metrics.
• Analyze failure trends and equipment performance data to recommend improvements.
• Maintain accurate records of repairs, inspections, and reliability metrics through SAP PM.
• Support test procedure development and validation of equipment installations and upgrades.

Continuous Improvement & Development

• Recommend and implement technical advancements to enhance mechanical performance and reliability.
• Lead or support Root Cause Failure Analyses (RCFAs) and corrective action implementation.
• Recommend technical advancements to enhance instrumentation and electrical performance and reliability.
• Support operator and maintenance training related to mechanical systems.
• Continue professional development by attending trainings, pursuing certifications, and staying informed on industry innovations and best practices.
• Create, modify, or retire Preventative Maintenance plans and Maintenance Procedures as needed.
• Complete assigned corrective action items.

Design, Projects & Implementation

• Support capital projects, including developing charters, front-end design packages, and reviewing vendor documentation for mechanical systems.
• Support proper installation and commissioning of new or upgraded mechanical equipment.
• Collaborate across disciplines (engineering, maintenance, operations, procurement) to ensure long-term reliability and maintainability of systems.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Minimum of 5 years of mechanical engineering experience in a chemical manufacturing, petrochemical, or other PSM-regulated environment.
• Proficiency in data analysis for reliability and OEE improvement (Excel advanced functions, CMMS reporting, or basic statistical tools).
• Experience with predictive maintenance methodologies and execution.
• Lead cross-functional reliability reviews (e.g., RCM, FMEA)
• Technical knowledge of fixed equipment, rotating equipment, and mechanical design principles.
• Proven experience with troubleshooting, equipment specification, and working with vendors and repair shops.
• Familiarity with PSM programs (e.g., MOC, PHA) and leading RCFAs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite.
• Experience with SAP PM.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across departments and influence plant performance.
• Working knowledge and application of RAGAGEP.
• Ability to prioritize work to manage multiple projects to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work at heights and within confined spaces.
• Ability to work extended hours during outage periods to support remediation and/or repair efforts.
• Excellent problem-solving/decision-making skills.
• Candidates must have a valid driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• API 510, 570, 571, 580 or 653 certified.
• Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP).
• Experience with Prometheus interface for SAP.
• Familiarity with asset management principles (e.g., ISO 55000 standards).

Competencies:

• Customer Focus
  • Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Business Insight
  • Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals.
• Cultivates Innovation
  • Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

• Action Oriented
  • Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Ensures Accountability
  • Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Drives Results
  • Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstance
• Collaborates
  • Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Values Difference
  • Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization
• Communicates Effectively
  • Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Courage
  • Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.
• Instills Trust
  • Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Situational Adaptability
  • Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.

We offer a competitive compensation package that includes base pay and an annual incentive. This program is designed to reward individual performance and align overall rewards with corporate and team performance.

Our employees benefit from a robust healthcare package that includes wellness reimbursements, along with generous perks such as three weeks of paid time off, ten company holidays, paid parental leave, education reimbursement, and a matching 401k plan, among other offerings.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S.

Learn more at kuraray.us.com/careers/

Kuraray America, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity/disability/protected veteran status

No third-party candidates accepted.