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Job Analysis:
The Project Engineering Manager role at BASF in Chattanooga is a critical bridge between technical engineering expertise and operational excellence aimed at driving capital projects and plant optimization. The incumbent is fundamentally tasked with ensuring that both Amnicola Highway and Polymer Drive plants operate efficiently, safely, and within budget, by providing deep engineering support grounded in chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering principles. Given the plant environment, this includes hands-on process improvement leadership, adherence to stringent safety and environmental standards, and managing complex regulatory compliance such as PSM, OSHA, NFPA, and EPA mandates. Success in this role requires navigating multifaceted challenges including risk mitigation of hazardous chemical processes (e.g., exothermic polymerization), managing layered safety documentation and audits, and integrating process automation and control strategies (DCS and PLC). The role demands strategic technical decision-making with moderate autonomy, balancing immediate operational needs with long-term capital planning and continuous improvement. Success within the first 6–12 months would likely be measured by the ability to stabilize engineering support for production, advance key capital projects on schedule and budget, maintain rigorous safety and regulatory compliance, and build trusted cross-functional partnerships. The combination of project oversight, process safety management, technical expertise, and interpersonal leadership underscores the position's complexity and criticality to BASF's site operations.
Company Analysis:
BASF stands as a global chemical industry leader with a strong commitment to sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility, making it a dynamic and forward-thinking environment for a Project Engineering Manager. The company occupies a market-leading position with a broad portfolio spanning Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Nutrition & Care, Surface Technologies, and Agricultural Solutions, reinforcing the role’s strategic importance within a vast and diverse industrial footprint. BASF’s culture emphasizes safety, lifelong learning, collaboration, and inclusivity, aligning well with the job’s focus on rigorous safety standards and cross-functional teamwork. Recognition by Forbes as one of the World's Best Employers highlights BASF’s commitment to employee well-being, professional growth, and ethical practices, setting expectations for a role that requires both technical excellence and adherence to cultural values. The Chattanooga site position situates the manager within a complex, multi-plant organizational setting involving interactions with operations, maintenance, and corporate governance, requiring political sensitivity, negotiation skills, and the ability to influence without direct hierarchical authority. Strategically, this role supports BASF's broader commitment to innovation and sustainable chemical processes, aiming to optimize plant operations and capital deployment to maintain competitive advantage. This is a growth-and-stabilization hire, expected to deliver immediate operational improvements while embedding BASF’s standards and practices at the facility level, thereby directly impacting profitability, safety record, and continuous improvement initiatives.