Plant Head / Production Head (Diploma in Fermentation and Alcohol Technology).

About the Company

Our client, a growing renewable energy company, runs a 120 KLPD grain-based ethanol plant in West Bengal.

As a grain-based ethanol producer, the company is part of India's shift to cleaner fuel and renewable energy. It is now hiring a senior leader to take full charge of the plant, from production to people.

Position Summary

We urgently need a Plant Head / Production Head with 12–15 years in grain-based ethanol or distillery operations, based at the plant in West Bengal.

Key Responsibilities

The Plant Head owns safe, steady, cost-efficient ethanol production and every function that supports it.

Plant operations and production

• Run the complete grain-to-ethanol process: milling, liquefaction, saccharification, fermentation, distillation, dehydration and DDGS handling.
  
• Meet daily and monthly production targets for ethanol output at 120 KLPD capacity.
  
• Maximise ethanol yield per tonne of grain and keep steam, power and water consumption within norms.
  
• Maintain product quality to OMC and statutory specifications.
  

Production planning, design and commissioning

• Lead production planning and production design reviews, debottlenecking and capacity or efficiency upgrades.
  
• Lead commissioning, stabilisation and trial runs whenever the plant expands.
  
• Prepare production plans, shutdown and maintenance schedules and grain stock plans with procurement.
  

Maintenance and utilities

• Ensure reliability of boiler, turbine, cooling water, compressed air and effluent treatment systems.
  
• Drive preventive and predictive maintenance to reduce unplanned downtime.
  

Safety, statutory and environmental compliance

• Enforce plant safety, fire safety and PPE practices and keep the plant incident-free.
  
• Ensure compliance with pollution control board, excise, factory and boiler regulations and keep all licences and returns current.
  

People and reporting

• Lead and develop the shift, process, maintenance, laboratory and utility teams.
  
• Control plant cost, process losses and spares and report production, yield and cost performance to management.
  
• Coordinate with procurement, finance, logistics and dispatch teams for smooth operations.
  

Required Qualifications and Experience

Candidates must meet all four mandatory criteria below.

1. 12–15 years of experience in a similar role (Plant Head / Production Head) in the same industry.
   
2. A background in a grain-based distillery or ethanol plant.
   
3. A DIFAT certificate (Diploma in Fermentation and Alcohol Technology).
   
4. Hands-on experience in production planning, production design, commissioning (when the plant expands) and end-to-end production of ethanol.
   

A bachelor's degree in chemical, biochemical, biotechnology or a related engineering or science field is preferred.

Preferred Skills and Key Competencies

The ideal candidate has run a grain-based plant at full capacity and can be trusted to own results on site.

• Strong knowledge of fermentation, distillation, dehydration and DDGS processes.
  
• Experience with DCS and automation systems and energy and mass balance.
  
• Working knowledge of ethanol supply to oil marketing companies and related statutory requirements.
  
• Strong leadership, problem-solving and decision-making under pressure.
  
• Cost control and process improvement mindset.
  
• Willingness to be based at the plant site in West Bengal.
  

Requirements

Candidates must meet all four mandatory criteria below.

1. 12–15 years of experience in a similar role (Plant Head / Production Head) in the same industry.
   
2. A background in a grain-based distillery or ethanol plant.
   
3. A DIFAT certificate (Diploma in Fermentation and Alcohol Technology).
   
4. Hands-on experience in production planning, production design, commissioning (when the plant expands) and end-to-end production of ethanol.
   

A bachelor's degree in chemical, biochemical, biotechnology or a related engineering or science field is preferred.

Preferred Skills and Key Competencies

The ideal candidate has run a grain-based plant at full capacity and can be trusted to own results on site.

• Strong knowledge of fermentation, distillation, dehydration and DDGS processes.
  
• Experience with DCS and automation systems and energy and mass balance.
  
• Working knowledge of ethanol supply to oil marketing companies and related statutory requirements.
  
• Strong leadership, problem-solving and decision-making under pressure.
  
• Cost control and process improvement mindset.
  
• Willingness to be based at the plant site in West Bengal.
  

Benefits