Staff Commercial Planning & Optimization Engineer- DP

Valero is the best-in-class producer of essential fuels and products that are foundational to modern life. We invite you to join our ~10,000 employees to drive exceptional results for our company, the energy industry and our community.  

As a Staff Commercial Planning & Optimization Engineer, you will coordinate commercial planning and optimization of the DGD facility including feedstock procurement and contract management, logistics, product trading and offtake, risk exposure, margins and optimization, and accounts receivable reconciliation, as well as business planning and economics. Additionally, you will liaise with plant operations to maximize margins, provide analytical support to ensure best operating practice consistency, and cost reduction initiatives between plants.

At Valero, we are committed to advancing the future of energy through innovation, ingenuity and unmatched execution. You can help achieve this goal if you can:

• Publish weekly forecasts, gross margin capture, and monthly operating plans.
• Develop, maintain, and publish run-out schedules in order to manage tankage limitations, facility operating requirements, third party terminal and Marketing requirements.
• Prepare economic comparison analysis to justify any operating signal change prior to implementation. Collaborate with the Corporate Regional Optimization Engineers and Refinery Scheduling engineers.
• Oversee a variety of ad hoc commercial feedstock optimization and product disposition projects which involve regular collaborations with accounting and regulatory compliance functions.
• Work with the Operations group to ensure optimal facility operating signals and plans are understood.  Monitor, maintain and communicate to all affected parties the key operating signals, operating constraints and their cost, and any significant deviations from the operating plan or current target.
• Identify opportunities to improve the facility optimization.
• Stay abreast of upcoming product specification changes and the impact that these changes will have on planned slate of feedstocks for the facility.
• Provide background advice and support on management of change (MOC) issues and procedures.
• Manage the development of plans and contingency plans around planned/unplanned maintenance and turnaround work, including tank work.
• Issue monthly Facility Operating Plan and communicate the plans with Corporate Leadership, as well as facility operations.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key customers and suppliers including area producers as well as backup relationships to ensure reliable and economic feedstock supply.
• Develops the facility’s Strategic Plan annually.
• Compare actual operations versus planned rates at the DGD facility and determine the economic impact of variances.
• Perform a quarterly backcast on facility operations and issue a formal report with recommendations identified from this process.
• Develop an LP model or similar process to generate weekly economic margins and publish the results in the weekly Operating Plan which directs unit operations to maximize facility profitability.
• Develop and maintain a list of daily optimizations and synergies which enhance the facility and reduce costs.
• Provide timely and cost-effective guidance and technical service to Operations for plan variances 24 hours/day.

This position is salaried exempt status, which means you are not eligible for overtime pay.

Minimum Requirements:

• Able and willing to work on-site, in-person at the Valero St. Charles Diamond Green Diesel location, required.
• Bachelor’s or higher level degree in Engineering required.
• 8+ years of refinery industry engineering experience required.
• Strong understanding of facility/refinery operations and the impact of feedstock quality on production rates and product quality required.
• Ability to read and interpret company policies, keep up with changing RFS and low carbon market regulatory guidelines, and other work-related documentation required.
• Basic skill using Microsoft Office programs (i.e., Word and Excel) required.

Preferred Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s or higher level degree - Chemical Engineering.
• Linear Program (i.e. AspenTech PIMS) experience.
• Experience working with commercial departments and understanding basic economic drivers.
• Experience in cargo and rail logistics or scheduling.
• Experience leading or managing a team.

Need more reasons to work for a company that is both professionally challenging and culturally rewarding?  Take a look at some of our best-in-class benefits:

• Competitive Pay and Annual Bonus Program
• 100%25 match on 401(K) up to 7%25, with immediate vesting
• Company-sponsored Pension Plan
• Comprehensive Healthcare and Wellness Program  

Benefits described above are highlights only, subject to an employee’s eligibility and work location.

All successful candidates must be eligible to obtain a TWIC card (Transportation Worker Identification Credential). It is Valero’s policy that employees must wear this card at all times while working at the refinery. Please review eligibility criteria at https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/twic.

Position level and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Valero's employees and team-focused culture drive our success. We’re invested in our dedicated workforce through a comprehensive, customizable benefits package, while supporting a caring culture that delivers a rewarding work environment built on teamwork, excellence and career growth. To explore the ways we build a stronger team, visit Valero.com/Careers.

Valero is an EEO Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected status, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Please be advised, if you are viewing this position on a website that lists an estimated salary rate/range, it was not provided by Valero.  Valero’s market specific salary rate/range will be provided during the recruiting process and tends to be higher than what is estimated by such websites.  

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