Sr. Chemical Engineer, Explosives Processing

GENERAL ROBOTICS (a SIG SAUER Company)•Jacksonville, AR

About The Position

The Sr. Chemical Engineer, Explosives Processing, will use their engineering talent to design, develop, effectively implement, and constantly improve production processes related to energetic materials contributing to the manufacture of elite, world-class ammunition for the consumer, law enforcement, and military markets. This role will focus on, but not limited to, ammunition primer manufacturing. Due to the nature of high energetic batch processing, all responsibilities of this role will have close collaboration and interaction with SIG Research & Development, retained energetic consultants, Energetic Safety Committee, EHS, Operations, and additional key stakeholders. This position requires a senior level Engineer with previous experience in establishing and technically supporting the production of energetic batch processing.

Requirements

Bachelor or Science degree in Chemical Engineering or related Engineering or Science discipline with 7-10 years minimum relevant work experience; Master’s degree is preferred.
Expertise in technical support and troubleshooting, and performing root cause analysis of energetic batch processing equipment.
Experience working in an Energetics or Class II Division I or Division II environment.
Practical, hands-on experience with batch equipment, and establishing and refining energetic material synthesis and assembly processes.
Experience and ability to read, modify, and create Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams.
Design experience using SolidWorks CAD and knowledge of GD&T
Excellent communication and time-management skills.
Must be able to clearly, concisely, and accurately convey ideas and information to others, both verbally and in written form.
Self-motivated with ability to drive work with minimum supervision.
Ability to manage and support multiple projects simultaneously and drive to complete on time.
Aptitude for detail with the ability to work in a team environment.

Nice To Haves

Certification for Shainin Red X and/or Six Sigma desired.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, optimize, monitor, and maintain chemical manufacturing processes for explosives and energetic materials, including formulation, mixing, blending, granulation, pressing, extrusion, drying, packaging, desensitization, and wastewater pretreatment.
Conduct process hazard analyses (PHA), HAZOP studies, and risk assessments specific to explosive sensitivities such as friction, impact, electrostatic discharge, and thermal stability and implement controls to minimize employees.
Establish and maintain Process Safety Management (PSM) programs per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119, ATF Federal Explosives Regulations (27 CFR 555), DoD 4145.26-M, DOT hazardous materials rules, and EPA requirements including Process Safety Information (PSI), operating procedures, mechanical integrity, and management of change (MOC).
Develop, review, and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), batch records, and safety protocols for handling dangerous chemicals and energetic materials.
Create training programs and deliver hands-on safety instruction to operators and contractors.
Design and specify process equipment and facility layout with remote operation, blast-resistant construction, quantity-distance separation, and automated controls to ensure safe, efficient production while meeting environmental and regulatory standards.
Create SIG SAUER machine specifications, system requirement documents (SRD), and Statements of Work (SOW) where applicable.
Monitor production performance through data collection, statistical process control, yield tracking, and real-time analysis; troubleshoot deviations, equipment failures, or quality issues and implement corrective and preventive actions.
Lead or support commissioning, qualification, and validation of new or modified processes and equipment; perform pre-startup safety reviews (PSSR) and participate in change management reviews.
Investigate incidents or near-misses, perform root-cause analysis, and develop corrective action plans.
Participate in regulatory audits and inspections by OSHA, ATF, EPA, or DoD.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as Production, Quality, Maintenance, Research & Development, and EHS to drive continuous improvement in safety, efficiency, cost, and sustainability while ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations.
Estimate production costs, prepare technical reports, and support budgeting for process upgrades or capital projects.
Assist and consult on non-PSM activities such as wash solution titrations and chemical compatibilities of solutions and materials