Process Engineer – Pilot Plant

About IFDC The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization that advances soil health and strengthens agricultural systems through science-based innovation. For over 50 years, IFDC has translated research into practical solutions that improve nutrient use efficiency, restore degraded soils, strengthen local agricultural markets and expand opportunity for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth.

We work with farmers, governments and private sector partners to build resilient farming systems that produce nutritious food, improve livelihoods, and safeguard natural resources for future generations.

Our Values We Are Guided By Four Core Principles Collaborate – We work across teams, countries and partners to create lasting impact.

Innovate – We apply evidence and continuous learning to design practical and responsible solutions.

Include – We promote equity and meaningful participation for women, youth and underrepresented groups.

Act with Integrity – We steward resources responsibly, uphold transparency and remain accountable to the communities, partners, staff and donors who place their trust in us.

Responsibilities This position is responsible for providing process engineering support to the IFDC Pilot Plant facilities, focusing mainly on the fertilizer industry:

• Provide process engineering support for process and product development experiments for nitrogen and phosphate-based fertilizers at pilot and/or bench scale. This will generally involve taking guidance from senior engineers or managers regarding setup and execution of experiments, evaluation of results, and summarizing in writing;
• Assist with the completion of Process Design Packages (PDP). This may involve assisting other engineers with plant/equipment design, generating equipment/instrumentation specification sheets, coordinating with vendors, etc.;
• Perform mass and energy balances of unit operations;
• Develop Process Flow Diagrams (PFD) and Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID);
• Generate detailed reports summarizing project and/or development work;
• Provide engineering support for technical issues and troubleshooting associated with the operation of the IFDC Pilot Plants;
• Act as a role model for safety and adhere to IFDC safety program;
• Work with engineers, technicians, chemists, and scientists on various aspects related to project execution.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or related field from an accredited institution;
• At least 2-3 years of relevant work experience is preferred, and experience in the fertilizer sector is highly preferred. Compensation may be adjusted based on experience;
• AutoCAD or similar experience is a plus;
• Ability to communicate efficiently with international professionals;
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

Reporting and Work Relationships This position reports to the Director of Engineering and Pilot Plant and collaborates with all Research Division staff.

Location This is a national recruitment with a duty station at the IFDC office based in Muscle Shoals, AL. Benefits IFDC's benefits include annual and sick leave, health, dental, vision and group life insurance coverage, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws.

Salary Clause The salary grade for this position is BG 9 with an annual starting salary of $69,000.

The determination of new employee salaries takes into account various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate's qualifications in relation to the job's responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.

Diversity Clause IFDC is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe in the value of bringing together people with a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. All employment decisions at IFDC are made on the basis of ability, performance, and organizational need, in alignment with our values of fairness, respect, and opportunity for all.