Principal Process Development Engineer

Principal Process Development Engineer Apply now Date: Mar 25, 2026 Location: Spartanburg, SC, US, 29303 Company: Milliken and Company Milliken & Company is a global manufacturing leader whose focus on materials science delivers tomorrow’s breakthroughs today. From industry-leading molecules to sustainable innovations, Milliken creates products that enhance people’s lives and deliver solutions for its customers and communities. Drawing on thousands of patents and a portfolio with applications across the textile, flooring, chemical and healthcare businesses, the company harnesses a shared sense of integrity and excellence to positively impact the world for generations. Discover more about Milliken’s curious minds and inspired solutions at Milliken.com and on Facebook, Instagram and  LinkedIn.   POSITION TITLE   Principal Process Development Engineer      POSITION OVERVIEW  The Principal Process Development Engineer is accountable for operating between business R&D teams and internal / external manufacturing partners to design and develop chemical manufacturing processes.  Processes in scope include new products that are implemented as part of the New Product Development (NPD) processes as well as improving existing processes that are a priority for the operations teams and business partners.  The Principal Process Development Engineer will liaise with R&D chemists and engineers, manufacturing teams, 3rd party contract development and manufacturing partners, capital project engineers, and other resources to develop processes to efficiently meet cost and capacity targets.  A successful individual will own the technical package until fully accepted by internal / external manufacturing partners.  The position reports to the Director of Process Technology within the Chemical Operations group and will be based at the Corporate Headquarters in Spartanburg, SC.    JOB RESPONSIBILITIES  Collaborate with R&D chemists and engineers to develop conceptual process flow diagrams (PFDs) and heat & mass balances based on laboratory data and experiments.   Develop estimates of total product cost in alignment with company processes.  Develop process models and simulations, including sensitivity analysis for cost impact.   Develop P&IDs and related engineering drawings for pilot scale processes  Translate engineering drawings into a Bill of Materials and specifications sheets for pilot equipment and instrumentation.   Create formal cost estimates and capital funds requests for pilot scale processes.   Procure materials and construct pilot systems within the allocated budget and schedule.   Operate pilot systems to evaluate route options and generate process data for process scale-up and design.   Collaborate with internal and external manufacturing partners and capital project engineers on full-scale process designs and estimates including PFD and P&ID development, general arrangement plans, equipment and instrumentation process spec sheets and preliminary process control strategies.  Participate in Design Package Review, Hazard and Operability studies (HAZOP), Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA), Facility Siting Assessments, and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR).  Create and own technical packages to transfer technology to internal and external manufacturing partners until projects pass through the commercialization gate.  Provide accurate plans and status reports to the respective project manager     QUALIFICATIONS - REQUIRED  MS in Chemical Engineering with 5+ years of experience in chemical process development engineering  Experience with a broad base of chemical processes along with equipment sizing and specification  Experience with instrumentation, automation, and control systems  Familiarity with process simulation software such as ASPEN.   Experience with Process Safety Management (PSM), Risk Management Program (RMP) requirements, and RAGAGEP design principles  Strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently  Ability to travel domestically and internationally    QUALIFICATIONS - PREFERRED  PhD in Chemical Engineering  5-10 years of experience in chemical manufacturing or in a process scale-up development organization  Experience in Project Management Methodologies  Knowledge of industry codes and standards such as NFPA, ASME, API, IEC, PSM, RMP along with consistent application of RAGAGEP  Experience with developing cost estimates for processes   #LI-AP1