Chemical Engineer

Chemical Engineer — Vanguard Chemical Corp

Baton Rouge, LA | July 2022 – Present

• Optimized process parameters for a 12,000-barrel-per-day distillation unit using ASPEN Plus simulation, increasing light distillate yields by 4.2% and saving $140,000 in monthly energy costs.
• Supervised process hazard analysis (PHA) for 3 major plant modifications, identifying 18 critical safety risks and implementing safety instrumented systems (SIS) to achieve OSHA compliance.
• Designed and commissioned a catalytic reactor cooling water loop upgrade, reducing reactor hot-spot temperatures by 12°C and extending catalyst lifecycle from 18 months to 24 months.
• Led 4 process technicians to troubleshoot raw material deviations, resolving batch contamination events within 4 hours and preventing an estimated $85,000 in product waste per incident.

Associate Chemical Engineer — Apex Petrochemical Solutions

Shreveport, LA | August 2020 – June 2022

• Performed daily mass and energy balance calculations for a fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU), identifying process bottlenecks to boost throughput by 3.8% over 9 months.
• Implemented automated process control loops using Honeywell TDC 3000, reducing standard deviation of product purity from 0.8% to 0.15% for the primary chemical line.
• Drafted 45 Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) and process flow diagrams (PFDs) for a $1.2M plant expansion, ensuring compliance with ASME and API design standards.
• Coordinated waste stream audits across 3 production units, recommending filtration upgrades that cut wastewater organic loading by 19% and reduced annual disposal fees by $48,000.

ASPEN Plus, ASPEN HYSYS, process simulation, mass and energy balances, Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), process safety management (PSM), HAZOP, Honeywell TDC 3000, AutoCAD, reactor design, wastewater treatment, plant optimization, heat exchangers, material science

Distillation Column Yield Enhancement

Role: Lead Process Engineer

Tools: ASPEN Plus, AutoCAD, Emerson DeltaV DCS

Simulated and redesigned column tray layouts, improving high-purity product extraction yields by 14% and cutting energy consumption by $180,000 annually.

VOC Emission Reduction Initiative

Role: Safety and Compliance Lead

Tools: Matlab, Flarenet, P&IDs

Retrofitted the plant's secondary flare system, reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 28% to align with updated EPA regulations.

• Professional Engineer (PE) License - Chemical (2024)
• Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam (2020)
• Certified Process Safety Professional (CCPSC) (2023)

• Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Conversational)
• Volunteer Work: Regional Coordinator for STEM high school chemical design competitions (2021–present)
• Availability: 3 weeks notice