Advanced Process Control Engineer

About the role

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Job Summary

The Marathon Los Angeles Refinery is seeking an Advanced Process Control (APC) Engineer who will serve as a technical leader for multivariable predictive control and optimization applications across multiple refining units. This role is accountable for the full APC lifecycle, from opportunity identification and economic justification through design, commissioning, sustainment, and long-term value realization.

The APC Engineer partners closely with Operations, Planning, Economics, and Control Systems teams to ensure control strategies are aligned with refinery business objectives, operational constraints, and safety requirements. The role requires deep process knowledge, strong analytical capability, and the ability to mentor other engineers while driving continuous improvement in APC performance.

The available onsite schedules for the position are 9/80, 5/40 or 4/1. Occasionally after-hours calls occur and support of TAR as necessary.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development, commissioning, and long-term sustainment of multivariable predictive control (MPC/APC) applications to optimize unit performance, stability, and profitability.
• Own the end-to-end APC project lifecycle, including opportunity identification and prioritization, economic benefit estimation, controller design, model development, commissioning, validation, post-implementation audits, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Operations, Planning, and Economics to align APC strategies with refinery business objectives, constraints, and LP signals, translating economic intent into control objectives.
• Apply cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to prioritize APC work and ensure engineering effort is focused on highest-value opportunities.
• Track, report, and communicate APC performance metrics, KPIs, and realized economic benefits, maintaining accountability for sustained results.
• Conduct advanced process data analysis and dynamic modeling to identify control performance gaps, root causes, and optimization opportunities.
• Develop and maintain dynamic process models, inferential sensors, and lab-bias-corrected estimators to support APC and optimization objectives.
• Design and maintain cross-unit and plantwide optimization strategies, including coordination of multiple APC controllers.
• Provide technical leadership during APC commissioning, unit startups, shutdowns, turnarounds, and system migrations, ensuring APC readiness and robustness.
• Develop, maintain, and audit APC and control system documentation, including control narratives, design basis documents, MV/CV/DV definitions, system architecture diagrams, and technical reports.
• Partner with Control Systems, OT, and vendors on APC platform upgrades, migrations, and cybersecurity-aligned system changes.
• Mentor and guide APC and Process Control engineers, serving as a technical authority and promoting best practices in controller design, testing, documentation, and sustainment.
• Provide training and technical guidance to Operations, Engineering, and Technical Services on APC functionality, limitations, and economic intent.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging APC and optimization technologies, applying lessons learned to drive continuous improvement and measurable business value.

Education, Experience and Skills

Minimum Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering.
• Must have at least ten (10) total years of Engineering experience within refining, petrochemical, or related industries with at least four (4) years of those years in advanced process control engineering.
• Proven experience leading APC applications from concept through sustained operation, including economic justification and benefit tracking.
• Must be able to wear appropriate PPE in the refinery (respirator), be able to physically perform all tasks in the field and take hair drug test and physical. Ability to access areas of the refinery requiring use of stairs and/or ladders to inspect equipment.
• Must have a valid driver's license. (MPC determines valid status.)
• Must be legally authorized to work in the US without the need for future VISA sponsorship.
• Travel Requirement is 10 %. (Training and Seminars)
• Ability to work extended hours, on occasion, including nights and weekends in process operations environment and during periods of inclement weather.
• Ability to maintain on-call status and respond to emergencies as necessary during off-hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten (10) or more years of experience in Process Control, with demonstrated responsibility for APC design, commissioning, and sustainment is preferred.
• Fifteen (15) or more total years of experience within Controls, Economic & Planning, or Process Engineering is preferred.
• Ability to build/develop advanced multi-variable process control models from inception to commissioning is preferred.
• Ability to manage APC related intermediate tags and troubleshoot communications or APC related tuning within Honeywell: Experion & TPS/TDC is preferred.

• Relocation may be available.
• This position belongs to a family of jobs with increasing responsibility, competency and skill level. Actual position title and pay grade will be based on the selected candidate's experience and qualifications.
• As an energy industry leader, our career opportunities fuel personal and professional growth.

• Location: Carson, California
• Job Requisition ID: 00025182
• Pay Min/Max: $122,900.00 - $212,000.00 Salary
• Grade: 12 - 13
• Location Address: 2350 E 223rd St

Additional locations

• Education: Bachelors (Required)
• Employee Group: Full time
• Employee Subgroup: Regular