Project Engineer - Asheville, NC

JOB POSITION: Project Engineer

LOCATION : Asheville, NC

REPORTS TO: Engineering Manager

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General Description

This role oversees core infrastructure including steam, chilled water, compressed air, and wastewater treatment systems. Additionally, the position executes mechanical design changes, solves complex equipment failures, and leads capital projects to ensure facility reliability, safety compliance, and energy savings.

Responsibilities:Boilers & Steam Systems

• Support operation, maintenance, and optimization of boilers, steam distribution, condensate return, and feed water systems.

• Perform combustion efficiency checks, heat balance calculations, and boiler performance evaluations.

• Troubleshoot burners, controls, pumps, valves, and pressure-retaining components.

• Ensure compliance with ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code and state boiler regulations.

Chillers & Chilled-Water Systems

• Provide engineering support for chillers, cooling towers, chilled-water loops, and associated pumps and heat exchangers.

• Monitor system performance, identify inefficiencies, and recommend improvements to reduce energy consumption.

• Troubleshoot refrigerant issues, flow imbalances, control problems, and equipment failures.

• Assist with seasonal startup/shutdown procedures and capacity planning.

Air Compressors & Plant Air Systems

• Support operation and reliability of air compressors, dryers, receivers, and distribution piping.

• Evaluate system pressure, flow, and air quality to ensure stable supply for production equipment.

• Lead root cause investigations for compressor trips, moisture issues, or pressure drops.

• Recommend improvements to reduce energy use and increase up time.

Wastewater Treatment & Environmental Systems

• Provide engineering support for industrial wastewater treatment, including pH control, solids removal, filtration, and discharge compliance.

• Monitor system performance and collaborate with environmental teams to meet permit requirements.

• Lead troubleshooting and corrective actions for system upsets or equipment failures.

Deaeration & Water Quality Systems

• Oversee operation and performance of deaerators, feed water tanks, and oxygen removal systems.

• Conduct mechanical inspections and verify oxygen removal efficiency.

• Coordinate with chemical treatment vendors to maintain proper water chemistry and prevent corrosion

HVAC Systems (Basic Knowledge Required)

• Provide general support for air-handling units, rooftop units, exhaust systems, and facility comfort cooling/heating.

• Assist with troubleshooting airflow issues, filter changes, and basic control problems.

• Coordinate with HVAC technicians and contractors for repairs and upgrades.

Mechanical Design, Analysis & Project Execution

• Develop mechanical designs, equipment specifications, and system modifications using CAD and engineering calculations.

• Perform stress, flow, and thermal analyses to validate system performance.

• Manage small-to-medium capital projects from concept through commissioning.

• Prepare scopes of work, technical documentation, and contractor bid packages, FAT may be required.

Reliability, Maintenance & Troubleshooting

• Lead troubleshooting efforts for pumps, heat exchangers, tanks, piping, valves, and rotating equipment.

• Support preventive and predictive maintenance programs, including vibration analysis and thermal imaging.

• Identify chronic issues and implement long-term reliability improvements.

Skills

• Excellent organization and leadership ability.

• Strong understanding of Lean systems in a manufacturing environment.

• Motivator of people.

• Sense of urgency.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Ability to adjust content to match audience.

• Excellent troubleshooting and problem solving skills. A critical thinker.

• Desire to teach or train coworkers.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Root cause problem solving, analysis of data using MiniTab, integration of existing logs into SAP data entry by operators, Excel PivotTable analysis of data.

Core Competencies

• Commitment to safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance

• Strong mechanical aptitude and system level thinking

• Independent problem-solving and decision-making

• Cross-functional collaboration with operations, maintenance, and SHE

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities

EducationRequired: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology. Proficiency with CAD tools and engineering analysis software. (AutoCAD, Draftsight, Inventor, Solidworks). Strong troubleshooting, communication, and project management skills.