Senior Pilot Plant Technician

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.  

Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.

About you and this role

We have a great opportunity as a Senior Pilot Plant Technician in the Dowlex Miniplant, located in Terneuzen, the Netherlands.

In this role, you will utilize process knowledge and operations experience to safely and proficiently operate a pilot plant for process development, scale-up and implementation of key projects. You would schedule, plan, and completing operations related activities including maintaining operation of a pilot plant, performing instructions per test plans, maintaining run sheets, logging data, and troubleshooting process and maintenance issues as they arrive.

You are responsible to evaluate analytical or scientific problems in unusual situations and select solutions based on established procedures. Depending on your experience, you will serve as an informal resource on operational, administrative, data organization, or coordination tasks for less experienced team members with no direct supervisory responsibilities. Your performance will impact the quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of your own work and your team’s work. You should be able to modify work practices and processes to achieve results and/or improve efficiency.

The Dowlex Miniplant is managed by a small but close-knit team, with 10 operators rotating in a 5-shift roster (2 operators per shift), and with 5 colleagues working in day shifts. This means that you are responsible for the control of the entire Dowlex Miniplant outside normal working hours.

Responsibilities

• Ensures safe and efficient operation of assigned plant areas using strong operating discipline and life critical standards
• Operates and field checks process equipment, and monitors process conditions, equipment, and control systems
• Write permits and perform lock out/tag out, mentors lower-level pilot plant technicians on the use of these standards depending on experience
• Performing various activities necessary for operation of the Dowlex Miniplant: prepare catalysts, filling up catalyst vessels, quality control of incoming solvent, changing drying beds, load solvent from mobile-tanks, complete safety tasks.
• Measuring the polymer properties of the produced samples using characterization tools.
• Uses trouble shooting skills to resolve process related deviations and problems
• Document key information during operation and proactively communicate to the day shift or to the clients.
• Able to give a status update of the plant during meetings.  
• Participates in Root Cause Investigations
• Monitors, collects, and inputs plant metrics for Statistical Process Control, asset utilization, conversion costs, production yields, and identifies opportunities for plant optimization
• Work both independently and in project teams.

Qualifications

• You have VAPRO C or MBO-4 , M.L.O Procesoperator, Chemische Technologie, Chemie and Process Techniek
• Experience in operation of reactor/plant control elements such as mass flow controllers, control valves, pressure transducers and associated equipment is preferred.
• You have a driver's license class B
• Fluent in Dutch and English.

Your Skills

• Communication - Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including technical writing in English.
• Strong team player - teamwork in an interdisciplinary environment is an important part of the job.
• Process Safety - Takes personal responsibility for safe pilot plant operations by applying procedures and change management, anticipating process deviations, intervening in unsafe conditions, and coaching others to ensure compliant and reliable execution of nonstandard and modified processes.
• Computer skills - Proficient computer skills, with the ability to use standard digital tools and systems to perform job tasks effectively.
• Ability to Work Independently - Demonstrates the ability to perform standard and non‑standard pilot plant tasks independently, using experience and judgment to ensure safe, effective, and reliable operation.
• Ownership – Brings a can-do attitude to the workplace and can initiate and take actions with minimal or no supervision in specific assigned areas

Additional notes

There is no relocation/visa supported for this role

Benefits – What Dow offers you 

We invest in you. 
 

Dow invests in total rewards programs to help you manage all aspects of you: your pay, your health, your life, your future, and your career. You bring your background, talent, and perspective to work every day. Dow rewards that commitment by investing in your total wellbeing.  

Here are just a few highlights of what you would be offered as a Dow employee: 

• Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity across our global markets, along with locally relevant incentives. 
• Benefits and programs to support your physical, mental, financial, and social well-being, to help you get the care you need...when you need it. 
• Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources to help you achieve your long term financial-goals. 
  • Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies depending on location).
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only).
  • Dow will take the value of monthly student debt payments and apply them as if they are contributions to the Employees’ Savings Plan (401(k)), helping employees reach the Company match.
• Robust medical and life insurance packages that offer a variety of coverage options to meet your individual needs. Travel insurance is also available in certain countries/locations.
• Opportunities to learn and grow through training and mentoring, work experiences, community involvement and team building. 
• Workplace culture empowering role-based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs. 
• Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
• Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non-birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).  
• Paid time off to care for family members who are sick or injured.  
• Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group’s (ERG) participation. 
• Wellbeing Portal for all Dow employees, our one-stop shop to promote wellbeing, empowering employees to take ownership of their entire wellbeing journey.
• On-site fitness facilities to help stay healthy and active (availability varies depending on location).
• Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships and more.
• Additionally, some of our locations might offer:
  • Transportation allowance (availability varies depending on location)
  • Meal subsidiaries/vouchers (availability varies depending on location)
  • Carbon-neutral transportation incentives e.g. bike to work (availability varies depending on location)

Join our team, we can make a difference together.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. ​​​​Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment. We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career. Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.