Senior Operations Engineer

Now hiring! Senior Operations Engineer

Pasadena, TX (On-site)

Annual bonus

We are looking for a Senior Operations Engineer to join our Petrochemicals (CP) team in Pasadena, TX. 

Come create chemistry with us!

BASF’s Petrochemical division is the starting point of BASF's petrochemical value creation worldwide, also known as “the heart of the Verbund,” representing the world's largest chemical markets. Together, let us keep the heart beating one creative solution at a time!

As a Senior Operations Engineer at our Pasadena, TX site, you’ll be at the heart of plant performance - driving safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement. Reporting to the Process Technology Manager, you’ll take full ownership of one or more production units, working hands-on in the field alongside operations technicians to solve challenges in real time. Your role will focus on leading optimization initiatives and site projects, ensuring strict compliance with BASF Process Safety standards. Success in this position requires resilience, determination, and proactive leadership. You’ll collaborate across a diverse network - operators, site management, global technology teams, regional project organizations, commercial leadership, and quality/laboratory personnel - while setting the standard for accountability, problem-solving, and effective communication.

As a Senior Operations Engineer, you create chemistry by...

• Delivering technical support and troubleshooting to ensure safe, efficient plant operations.
• Developing and executing plans to meet production targets and key performance indicators.
• Leading incident reporting, root cause analysis, and Management of Change (MOC) processes.
• Supporting alarm management, DCS troubleshooting, and proposing control improvements.
• Developing basic DCS automation skillset to provide site backup support and DCS migration project support.
• Identifying process improvement opportunities and defining project scopes for enhancements.
• Collaborating across teams on quality issues, compliance activities, and turnaround operations.

If you...

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
• Bring ideally 8-10 years of hands-on operations engineering experience with large-scale chemical processing equipment.
• Demonstrate a strong sense of ownership for plant performance, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Build effective relationships and communicate clearly with diverse teams.
• Excel at troubleshooting by gathering insights from the field, operations personnel, and process data.
• Confidently led PHAs, MOC processes, and incident investigations.
• Organize and prioritize tasks effectively, escalating critical insights when needed.

Create your own chemistry with you@BASF

At BASF, you will have the chance to do meaningful work towards building a more sustainable future. In addition to competitive compensation and benefits, BASF provides you with access to a wide range of elements to help you be your best. It’s what we call you@BASF. We are committed to providing benefits, programs, and opportunities that support our employees’ overall well-being, personal growth, and a safe, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.

Just some of the many benefits we offer include:

• Flexible work arrangements whenever possible
• Highly competitive retirement savings plan with company match and investment options
• Well-being programs that include comprehensive mental health support for you and your household family members
• Family forming benefits (fertility, adoption and surrogacy reimbursement, maternity/parental leave, and more)
• Back-up child and elder care with discount programs for families of all ages and stages
• Mentoring and career development opportunities that allow you to share, learn, and thrive
• Matching gifts program that allows you to deepen the impact of your contributions to qualified charities.
• Employee crisis support for when the unexpected happens
• Access to our BASF wine cellar, employee discounts, and much more!

About us

As one of the largest chemical companies in North America we have been finding solutions for your everyday needs and addressing the most complex economic, environmental, and sustainability challenges for more than 150 years!

At BASF we empower our employees with the tools, guidance and opportunities they need to advance and succeed in work and life. Giving you the support you need to be your best and fulfill your personal ambitions is what helps us create chemistry. After all, our success is linked to yours. Whatever path you envision, BASF is a great place to build a rewarding, successful career.

Belong to Something Bigger. #belongatBASF

Privacy statement

BASF takes security & data privacy very seriously. We will never request financial information of any kind via email, private text message or direct message on any social medial platform or job board. Furthermore, we will never send a candidate a check for equipment or request any type of payment during the job application process. If you have experienced any of the above, please contact myhr@basf.com to report fraud.

Equal employment opportunities

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, citizenship, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, disability status, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.