Engineering Manager
Wilmington, NC, US, 28401
Job Description
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Engineering Manager to join our team at our coastal Wilmington, NC manufacturing facility. In this key leadership role, you will report directly to the Plant Manager and serve as the site technical authority, ensuring the safe, compliant, and reliable design of plant systems.
This role is ideal for an experienced engineering leader who is comfortable owning technical decisions, guiding engineers, and partnering effectively with Operations and Maintenance-without owning daily execution. This role provides technical authority, governance, and coaching for site engineering acitvities, while execution is primarily performed by early-career engineering roles.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead, mentor, and develop direct‑reporting early‑career site engineers (Environmental, Process Safety, and Project Engineering), providing structured technical direction, review, and coaching.
- Build technical capability, standard work, and long-term bench strength within an early-career engineering team.
- Serve as the single point of accountability for technical integrity at the site, including engineering standards, specifications, and design practices, with final technical approval authority.
- This role includes accountability for site environmental engineering and permitting support, ensuring environmental compliance through oversight of early‑career engineering execution.
- Partner with Project Engineering and Project Managers while retaining authority for technical scope and change control.
- Own technical governance of the Site 5‑Year Capital Plan, including front‑end loading (FEL), technical scope definition, and design approval, while delegating day‑to‑day planning and project development to an early‑career project engineer.
- Provide oversight and accountability for the Site Process Safety Management (PSM) program, with day‑to‑day ownership and administration assigned to an early‑career process safety engineer. Ensure PHAs, DHAs, MOCs, and other PSM compliance activities are technically sound, appropriately staffed, reviewed, and closed in accordance with regulatory and company requirements.
- Collaborate with Operations to translate operating needs into sound engineering solutions and with Maintenance & Reliability to eliminate repeat failures.
- Exercise authority to stop work for technical, safety, or PSM concerns when required.
- Fostering a culture where safety is a core value, proactively identifying and mitigating risks, and promoting a positive safety mindset among all employees. Establishes clear expectations and demonstrates commitment to safety through actions and words.
- Retains final technical decision‑making and approval authority for engineering, PSM, and capital project deliverables at the site.
What This Role Does NOT Own
- Daily plant operation or shift supervision
- Control room or field execution
- Craft labor or contractor supervision beyond engineering scope
- Project schedule or construction execution
Qualifications
- 8+ years of engineering experience in chemical or process manufacturing
- 3+ years of engineering leadership or supervisory experience
- 5+ years of capital project experience providing technical leadership and engineering scope ownership for projects >$2MM
- Experience serving as technical authority in a PSM‑regulated manufacturing environment
- Strong working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, NFPA, and applicable engineering standards
Education
Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering
#LI-RV1 #LI-ONSITE
Why Join Us?
- Be a technical leader at a critical manufacturing site with clear authority and accountability
- Work for a global leader in chemical manufacturing
- Partner closely with Operations and Maintenance while shaping long‑term plant reliability
- Opportunity to make a visible, lasting impact on plant safety, performance, and design quality
If you are an experienced engineering leader who values technical rigor, clear decision‑making, and collaboration, we would love to hear from you.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
Established in 1932, Stepan Company is a major manufacturer of basic and intermediate chemicals including surfactants, polymers, as well as specialty ingredients that go into consumer, household, and institutional products such as laundry detergents, shampoos, and surface cleaners. Stepan Company currently has 22 global manufacturing locations and over 2,500 employees. We have a strong record of growth. Our growth allows us to provide meaningful career opportunities and stability to our team members. We have big goals at Stepan and know every team member will be crucial to achieving our objectives. Regardless of function, we are looking for team members who bring with them a growth mindset, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to thrive in an evolving environment.
We celebrate diversity at Stepan and are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Nearest Major Market: Wilmington