Principal Engineer, Energy Solutions

The Senior Process Engineer is Tract’s subject-matter expert for process safety and process design across behind-the-meter (BTM) power solutions supporting large-scale data centers. This role builds and owns our process safety standards, process design basis, and hazard analysis practices for fuel and generation‑adjacent systems (gas supply, exhaust/emissions, ventilation, ancillary skids).

You will define process safety strategy, lead process hazard analyses (PHA) such as HAZOP, HAZID, What‑If, and LOPA, and ensure that Tract’s BTM assets are safe, compliant, auditable, and repeatable across campuses.

How you will make a difference?

• Own BTM process design and safety standards
• • Develop and maintain process design standards and methodologies for BTM solutions, including:
  • • Reciprocating gas engines (RICE) and turbines
    • Fuel cells and associated balance-of-plant
    • Fuel-gas supply and conditioning (pressure regulation, metering, filtration, heating/odorization as applicable)
    • Exhaust and emissions treatment systems
    • Ventilation and combustion air
    • Cooling interfaces and ancillary process skids
  • Define and maintain design basis documents, PFDs/P&IDs, calculation packages, and review/approval workflows.
• Lead process hazard and risk assessments
• • Plan, lead, and document PHA studies (HAZOP, HAZID, What‑If) and LOPA for fuel handling and generation‑adjacent processes.
  • Establish risk acceptance criteria and ensure recommendations and action items have clear owners, due dates, and are driven to closure.
  • Coordinate with controls, electrical, and mechanical teams to translate PHA outcomes into safeguards, alarms, trips, and procedures.
• Embed process safety in design, commissioning, and operations
• • Drive inherently safer design by influencing layout, equipment selection, relief and vent systems, and segregation/containment strategies.
  • Define expectations for operating limits, alarm setpoints, shutdown logic, bypass management, and proof‑testing in collaboration with controls/OT teams.
  • Support development of cause‑and‑effect matrices, safety instrumented functions (SIFs), and SIL classifications where applicable.
  • Provide process safety input to commissioning plans, PSSRs, and readiness reviews before startup.
• Support permitting, compliance, and auditability
• • Partner with EHS and environmental teams to provide process safety content for permits and regulatory interfaces (e.g., inputs to PSM/RMP‑type elements where applicable).
  • Ensure process safety practices and documentation are audit‑ready, including PHA records, action tracking, MOC history, and training evidence.
• Strengthen operations, MOC, and learning culture
• • Develop expectations for normal, abnormal, and emergency operating procedures, and partner with Operations to embed these into runbooks, SOPs, and drills.
  • Support and improve Management of Change (MOC) processes for process‑impacting changes in design, controls, or operating strategy.
  • Participate in incident investigations and root cause analyses (RCA); capture lessons learned and convert them into standard updates across the portfolio.
  • Track and report leading and lagging process safety metrics (e.g., PHA completion, action closure, near misses) to drive continuous improvement.
• Provide field and stakeholder support
• • Visit construction and operating sites to observe field execution, verify design intent, and identify practical improvements in safety and operability.
  • Build strong working relationships with engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, and EHS to ensure aligned decision‑making on risk

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Safety Engineering, or closely related discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in process safety and/or process engineering in industrial environments such as:
• • Power generation (gas‑fired, CHP, or similar)
  • Oil & gas / midstream / LNG
  • Petrochemical / refining
  • Large‑scale industrial or energy infrastructure

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in process safety and PHA, including hands‑on experience planning and facilitating:
• • HAZOP, HAZID, and What‑If studies
  • LOPA and other quantitative/qualitative risk assessments.
• Experience developing and owning process design standards and documentation, including:
• • Design basis narratives
  • PFDs and P&IDs
  • Process calculations (e.g., line sizing, relief and vent systems, hydraulics where applicable)
  • Structured review and approval workflows.
• Direct experience with fuel‑handling and generation‑adjacent systems, such as:
• • Reciprocating gas engines (RICE), turbines, or fuel cells
  • Fuel‑gas supply, pressure reduction/conditioning, and metering
  • Exhaust and emissions control systems, ventilation, and combustion air.
• Strong understanding of:
• • Risk assessment and risk tolerance/acceptance criteria
  • Management of Change (MOC) and its integration into design, construction, and operations
  • How to drive mitigation actions to closure across project phases.
• Proven ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations teams to:
• • Embed safeguards, alarms, and interlocks into design and control strategies
  • Translate complex process safety concepts into clear requirements, procedures, training content, and field guidance.
• Ability and willingness to travel to project sites (including active construction and operating facilities) to support PHAs, field reviews, PSSRs, and incident investigations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with behind‑the‑meter or distributed generation solutions (e.g., engine plants, peakers, hybrid engine + BESS).
• Familiarity with relevant codes, standards, and best practices, such as:
• • CCPS process safety guidance
  • IEC 61511 / ISA 84 (SIS/SIF)
  • NFPA and API/ASME standards for combustion equipment, gas systems, and pressure relief.
• Experience working within PSM‑ or RMP‑like process safety management systems or equivalent corporate frameworks.
• Professional certifications such as P.E. (Chemical/Process/Mechanical), CSP, CCPSC, or equivalent process safety credentials.
• Experience mentoring junior engineers or serving as PHA leader/facilitator of record

Required Traits

• Safety Leadership: Treat safety as non‑negotiable; role‑model a strong process safety culture and challenge unsafe practices at any level.
• Operational Paranoia: Anticipate risks, identify vulnerabilities, and proactively implement safeguards to protect people, environment, availability, and scale.
• Effective Communication: Clearly explain process hazards, safeguards, and recommendations to technical and non‑technical stakeholders; comfortable presenting to leadership and field teams.
• Critical and Analytical Thinking: Apply structured reasoning and sound engineering judgment to complex problems; back recommendations with data, calculations, and field evidence.
• Influence and Persuasion: Able to hold the line on safety while building trust; influence design and operational decisions without compromising relationships.
• Collaboration and Relationship Management: Build strong partnerships with engineering, EHS, construction, operations, and external partners; foster a culture of shared ownership for process safety.
• Bias for Field Reality: Comfortable in the field—walking sites, talking with operators and constructors, validating that design intent and procedures work in practice.

Location

• Work location is flexible to Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, or Arlington, VA

Travel

• Regular travel, as needed, to offices as well as to meet with Vendors

Expected Salary Range: $120,000 - $150,000 Base Salary + Discretionary Bonus

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Tract Capital Employment

Tract Capital employees enjoy competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including 100% employer-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401K program, standard paid holidays, and unlimited PTO.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the organization's ongoing needs.

Tract Capital is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status. If you need assistance applying for any of our open positions, please contact us at

info@tractcapital.com