Principal Process Engineer

About the job: 
Kent is looking for a Principal Process Engineer to join our engineering team. We are open to candidates based in Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; or Sarnia, Ontario. The successful candidate will lead process engineering activities for industrial and energy projects, providing technical direction and coordinating multidisciplinary interfaces from studies and concept development through detailed engineering and construction support. Demonstrated experience as a process engineering lead is required. 
 

Skills and Responsibilities:  
Responsibilities:
•    Lead process engineering activities, ensuring deliverables meet project scope, technical requirements, budgets, and schedules.
•    Develop process engineering execution plans, deliverable lists, resource estimates, and schedules, and monitor progress against agreed commitments.
•    Assign and coordinate work within the process engineering team, providing technical guidance and reviewing deliverables within assigned authority.
•    Lead the development and review of design bases, process descriptions, heat and material balances, process flow diagrams, and piping and instrumentation diagrams.
•    Direct process simulation, equipment sizing, hydraulic calculations, and development of process equipment datasheets.
•    Establish and review operating and design conditions, utility requirements, control philosophies, and safeguarding requirements.
•    Oversee relief and depressuring studies and associated process safety documentation, as applicable to project scope.
•    Participate in hazard identification, HAZOP, and other process safety reviews, providing technical input and coordinating closure of assigned actions.
•    Evaluate process alternatives and lead technical studies, identifying practical opportunities to improve safety, operability, reliability, and efficiency.
•    Coordinate process interfaces with mechanical, piping, instrumentation, electrical, civil/structural, and other engineering disciplines.
•    Act as a primary process engineering contact for clients, project management, vendors, and other stakeholders.
•    Review vendor documentation and resolve technical queries, deviations, and process design interfaces.
•    Identify scope changes, technical risks, and potential schedule or budget impacts, and recommend appropriate actions.
•    Support construction, commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting activities, including site visits when required.
•    Mentor process engineers and support the development of discipline capability and engineering best practices.
•    Maintain complete engineering records and ensure compliance with project quality assurance and document control procedures.

In addition to the responsibilities listed herein, the employee may be required to perform other ad-hoc tasks as needed or directed by the supervisor or management. These tasks will be within the reasonable scope of the employee's skills, capabilities, and role within the organization. The intent of this provision is to allow for flexibility and adaptability in meeting the dynamic needs of the organization, ensuring that operational requirements can be met efficiently. All such tasks will be assigned considering the employee's current workload and with respect to their professional development.

Your knowledge/skills, education, and experience: 
Knowledge/ Qualification/ Training/ Certification: 
•    A Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related engineering discipline is required.
•    Professional Engineer registration through APEGA or PEO is required.
•    Extensive relevant process engineering experience on industrial or energy projects.
•    Demonstrated experience as a process engineering lead, including responsibility for technical delivery, team coordination, multidisciplinary interfaces, and client communication.
•    Professional Engineer registration in the applicable province, or eligibility to obtain registration.
•    Strong knowledge of process design fundamentals, including thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and material and energy balances.
•    Experience developing and reviewing process simulations, equipment sizing calculations, hydraulic calculations, and engineering deliverables.
•    Proficiency with relevant process simulation tools, such as Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Plus, or equivalent software.
•    Strong knowledge of process safety principles, relief system design, and hazard review processes.
•    Working knowledge of applicable codes, standards, regulatory requirements, and client specifications.
•    Experience planning engineering work, estimating hours, forecasting resource requirements, and managing technical changes.
•    Experience supporting greenfield and brownfield projects across multiple project phases.
•    Strong analytical skills and the ability to assess complex technical issues and recommend practical solutions.

 

Communication:
•    Excellent command of the English language in both oral and written communication.
•    Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to clients, project managers, engineers, and other stakeholders.
•    Strong technical writing and presentation skills.
•    Ability to lead technical discussions, communicate decisions, and resolve multidisciplinary interface issues.
•    Ability to provide clear direction and constructive feedback to team members. 
 

Behavior/ Core Competencies:
•    Demonstrate technical leadership, sound engineering judgement, and accountability for assigned work.
•    Work independently while maintaining effective collaboration across disciplines and offices.
•    Mentor colleagues and support the development of less experienced engineers.
•    Identify and communicate risks early, taking a practical and proactive approach to resolution.
•    Balance technical quality with project scope, schedule, and budget requirements.
•    Build effective relationships with clients, colleagues, and project stakeholders.
•    Champion continuous improvement and maintain a commitment to professional development.
•    Demonstrate ethical conduct and a commitment to safe, high-quality engineering.

HSSEQ:
The Employee shall observe the Health, Safety, Sustainability, Environment and Quality rules of the Company; it’s clients and the governing authorities of the host country.

This is a new position.

Compensation - Sarnia, Ontario:

Hourly Range: $78.00/hr to $92.00/hr

This hourly range applies to candidates based in Sarnia, Ontario, reflects the expected compensation for this role, and may vary based on skills, experience, and qualifications.
 

Details about the role: 
Location:  Open to candidates based in Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; or Sarnia, Ontario. 
Relocation required: N/A 
Travel required: Limited travel and site visits may be required. 
Contract type: Full-time  
Experience level: 20+ years 

About you:

Join us. Unleash your energy within.

If you have world-class ambitions to reach the stars while keeping your feet on the ground, we’re the team for you. We've created a new breed of company – future-focused with reimagined ambition across all disciplines within the energy sector.

We love people who know their own potential and are not afraid to use it. We know that together, we’re far more than the sum of our parts. So, we celebrate people who want to grow and develop as we work together on some of the largest projects on the energy world stage.

We are committed to our diverse and inclusive community – a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop. From day one, we offer a range of family-friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and employee networks to support staff from different backgrounds.

As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities.

We’re a disability-friendly employer and can make adjustments to support you to perform at your best during the recruitment process.

Our purpose and beliefs:

As Kent, we’re tackling the greatest challenge of our time - to bring our world the energy it needs in the most responsible way ever imagined.

It’s the energy of every member of our team driven by our beliefs that is making this happen. Whatever our skill, our language, or our culture. These beliefs define and direct us every day to be the very best - for ourselves, our clients, our key stakeholders, the communities we operate in and the planet:

We PLAY BIG
We thrive on EMOTIONAL AGILITY
We are FANATICAL ABOUT PERFORMANCE
We are built on INFINITE THINKING

Read more about the Purpose, Beliefs and Guiding Principles that drive us:

Our vision for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging:

We recognise that diversity & inclusion are catalysts for success. We’re heightening awareness on the benefits of people diversity, diversity of experiences and diversity of our perspectives. Creating a culture of inclusivity where all employees feel a sense of belonging.  

Our combined energy is fueled by different nationalities, across 6 continents and 24 countries. Our commitment is to celebrate character – no matter what ethnic background, gender, age, religion, identity, or disability.