Rotating Equipment Reliability Specialist

Position Overview

Kern is hiring a Rotating Equipment Reliability Specialist who will play a critical role in ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of rotating equipment in a refinery. This position requires a thorough understanding of various types of rotating equipment, including pumps, compressors, turbines, and motors. The specialist is responsible for asset integrity by performing maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair activities, as well as implementing reliability improvement initiatives. In addition, this role delivers detailed job plans, cost estimates, schedules, and quality oversight for machinery activities, including turnarounds, projects, and vendor-supported work. The successful candidate will exhibit Kern’s core values of Teamwork, Safety, Excellence, Integrity, and Family.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Operations and Engineering teams to develop and implement reliability improvement strategies and repairs for rotating equipment.
• Maintain and report bad actor programs.
• Run the oil sampling and vibration monitoring.
• Identify opportunities for equipment upgrades, modifications, or replacements to enhance reliability and efficiency.
• Troubleshoot rotating and reciprocating equipment to eliminate excessive maintenance costs, performance deficiencies, and reliability issues.
• Utilize condition monitoring techniques, such as vibration analysis, thermography, and oil analysis, to assess the health and performance of equipment.
• Minimize downtime by conducting root cause analysis for failures and developing action plans to prevent recurrence of equipment malfunctions.
• Communicate with Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance to schedule repair shutdowns at agreed-upon dates.
• Function as a project manager by verifying the availability and capability of the contract repair crew, developing detailed job plans, cost estimates, schedules, and establishing critical path controls for machinery activities.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of equipment maintenance activities, including work orders, inspection reports, and equipment performance.
• Generate reports on equipment performance, maintenance trends, and reliability metrics to prioritize repairs.
• Develop recommendations and initiate work order requests required for equipment upgrades.
• Review proposed designs for adherence to refinery, industry, and regulatory standards.
• Lead the refinery through consideration of Total Cost of Ownership when selecting equipment, components, or support systems.
• Ensure an adequate supply of spare parts and consumables; monitor inventory levels, track usage, and initiate requisitions for timely procurement.
• Document information in the Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) for electrical, instrumentation, and process control systems and equipment.
• Adhere to all safety regulations and procedures while performing maintenance and repair tasks, and ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety guidelines.
• Conduct risk assessments and implement appropriate safety measures to mitigate hazards associated with rotating equipment.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the operations and maintenance teams regarding operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
• Conduct training sessions and workshops to enhance the knowledge and skills of personnel involved in the Maintenance Reliability Program.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise Mechanics in the absence of the head of Maintenance.

Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of industry codes and standards, ASTM, NACE, etc.
• In-depth understanding of various rotating equipment, including pumps, compressors, turbines, and motors.
• Proficiency in analyzing equipment performance data and conducting root cause analysis.
• Familiarity with reliability engineering concepts and methodologies.
• Strong understanding of safety regulations and industry standards applicable to refinery operations.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred.
• Certifications in relevant areas (e.g., API, vibration analysis) are desirable.
• Approximately 10 years of experience in rotating equipment (reciprocating and centrifugal pump and compressor) maintenance preferred.
• About 10 years of rotating equipment reliability experience in a refinery or petrochemical plant.
• Experience with regulatory matters, PSM, Mechanical Integrity programs, PM, PdM, and condition monitoring development.