Engineer / Sr. Engineer Cast House

Role & responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

1. Cast House Operations

• Monitor and control hot metal and slag tapping as per blast furnace tapping schedules.
• Supervise taphole opening, closing, drilling, and plugging operations to minimize cast delays and ensure safe practices.
• Coordinate with the furnace control room for cast timing, blast pressure, and furnace condition adjustments.
• Ensure smooth flow of hot metal to torpedo ladles or mixers with minimal spillage and metal loss.
• Manage slag granulation or pit casting as per process requirements.
• Maintain detailed records of each cast, including duration, metal/slag yield, temperature, and operational deviations.

2. Runner & Refractory Management

• Inspect and maintain cast house runner systems, troughs, skimmers, and launder arrangements.
• Supervise relining, patching, and dressing of runners and troughs to ensure continuous operation.
• Monitor and plan refractory life cycles for runners and troughs to optimize performance and cost.
• Coordinate with the refractory maintenance team for timely repairs and relining based on wear analysis.

3. Equipment & Utility Management

• Ensure proper functioning of all cast house equipment, including mud guns, tap hole drills, slag granulation units, tilting runners, and skimmers.
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation teams for preventive and corrective maintenance.
• Monitor granulation water pressure, flow, and recycling systems to maintain system efficiency.
• Report abnormalities and initiate corrective actions to minimize equipment downtime.

4. Safety & Environment

• Enforce strict safety protocols for hot metal and slag handling operations.
• Ensure compliance with PPE usage, LOTO procedures, and safe working practices during casting.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and safety signage in the cast house area.
• Adhere to environmental norms regarding slag disposal, dust suppression, and water discharge control.

5. Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze casting performance data to improve metal yield, reduce tap-to-tap time, and optimize cast duration.
• Participate in root cause analysis (RCA) for cast-related breakdowns or quality issues.
• Support process improvement initiatives such as Kaizen, TPM, or Lean projects for productivity and cost optimization.
• Suggest improvements in refractory design, runner configuration, or cast scheduling for enhanced efficiency.

6. Coordination & Reporting

• Liaise with Furnace Control Room, Steel Melting Shop (SMS), and Maintenance teams to ensure synchronized plant operations.
• Prepare and maintain daily, weekly, and monthly reports on cast house performance, metal yield, and refractory consumption.
• Support internal and external audits, inspections, and management reviews.
• Maintain detailed records of casting data, equipment condition, and maintenance history using SAP or plant data management systems.

Preferred candidate profile

Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

• Diploma / B.E. / B.Tech in Metallurgical, Mechanical, or Production Engineering

Experience:

• Engineer: 36 years of experience in cast house operations of a medium to large blast furnace (0.5 MTPA).
• Sr. Engineer: 6–10 years of experience in cast house supervision, refractory maintenance, and process coordination in ironmaking operations.

Industry Preference:

• Integrated Steel Plant / Iron Making Unit / Metallurgical Industry

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Strong understanding of blast furnace cast house process flow and hot metal handling.
• Hands-on experience in taphole clay management, metal/slag separation, and granulation systems.
• Proficiency in runner preparation, refractory maintenance, and cast scheduling.
• In-depth knowledge of safety procedures and risk management for high-temperature operations.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills for process improvement and root cause analysis.
• Strong communication, coordination, and leadership abilities to manage shift teams and operators.
• Working knowledge of MS Office, SAP (optional), and plant data logging systems.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence.