PCS Chiller Engineer

About Samsung Austin Semiconductor
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Position Summary

The PCS Chiller Engineer is responsible for the design, implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of the plant’s industrial cooling and heat‑recovery systems, including chillers, heat exchangers, and associated piping, controls, and instrumentation. The engineer ensures reliable, energy‑efficient plant performance while meeting safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

Role and Responsibilities

Here’s What You’ll Be Responsible For:

System Design & Optimization

• Lead the sizing, selection, and design of chillers, heat exchangers, and ancillary equipment for new projects or plant upgrades.
• Use thermodynamic and heat‑transfer calculations, energy‑balance modeling, and available software (e.g., Aspen HYSYS, TRACE, MATLAB) to develop reliable, cost‑effective solutions.
• Optimize temperature, pressure drops and minimize pressure losses and cycling operations to reduce energy consumption.

Commissioning & Performance Validation

• Develop and execute commissioning plans, including the integration of controls, sensor calibration, and fault‑tolerant operation testing.
• Conduct performance qualification (PQ) and installation qualification (IQ) tests to verify that equipment meets specified thermodynamic and reliability targets.

Operations & Reliability Management

• Monitor real‑time operating parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow, power) to detect trends that could signal impending failures.
• Identify root causes for equipment downtime using structured techniques (5‑Why, Pareto, FMEA).
• Develop preventive‑maintenance (PM) schedules, identify spare‑part needs, and coordinate procurement to minimize unplanned downtime.

Energy & Cost Control

• Track energy use (kWh, BTU) and operational cost data, and report on key performance indicators such as specific energy consumption (kWh/h / kg process‑water/heat).
• Conduct energy‑efficiency audits, evaluate retro‑fits (variable speed drives, heat‑recovery units), and present ROI analyses to finance leadership.

Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure that all chiller and heat‑exchanger work comply with company safety policies, ISO, Hazmat, EPA standards, and local environmental regulations.
• Maintain audit‑ready records, equipment certificates, and calibration logs.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Serve as the technical liaison between production, maintenance, capital‑project teams, and external suppliers/vendors.
• Lead cross‑functional project teams for new installations or major equipment upgrades, producing project charters, schedule documents, and meeting minutes.

Skills and Qualifications

Here's what you'll need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal‑Power Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field.

• Minimum of 4–6 years in a plant‑engineering role dealing with industrial chillers or heat‑exchangers, preferably in a manufacturing or wastewater‑cooling context.

• HVAC/Industrial‑Cooling certifications (e.g., HVAC‑E, ASHRAE, or ISO 50001 Lead Auditor) are advantageous. Six‑Sigma Green or Black Belt preferred, but not mandatory.

• Fluency in CAD (AutoCAD, SolidWorks) for piping layout, thermodynamic simulation tools (HYSYS, TRACE, MATLAB), and PLC programming (Siemens, Rockwell). 

• Demonstrate analytical mindset, proactive problem‑solving, teamwork across functions, and ability to influence cross‑departmental decisions.

  Key Competencies & Skills

• Thermodynamics & Heat‑Transfer - Ability to apply Carnot, Rankine, and real‑fluid analysis for chiller and heat‑exchanger design.

• Fluid Mechanics & Piping - Knowledge of flow‑rate calculations, pressure‑drop analysis, and pipe‑network design.

• Control Systems & Instrumentation - Experience configuring PLCs, SCADA/HMI, and PID loops for temperature and pressure control.

• Reliability & Maintenance Engineering - Proficiency in MTBF/MTTR analysis, FMEA, root‑cause analysis, and succession planning for critical components.

• Project Management - Skill in developing project schedules, budgets, and risk registers. Familiarity with agile/lean approaches to plant‑engineering projects is a plus.

• Communication & Documentation - Strong written and verbal skills for technical specifications, SOPs, progress reports, and stakeholder briefings.

The current base salary range for this role is between $70,480 - $179,090. Individual base pay rates will depend on factors including duties, work location, education, skills, qualifications and experience. Total compensation for this position will include a competitive benefits package and may include participation in company incentive compensation programs, which are based on factors to include organizational and individual performance.

Total Rewards
At Samsung SAS, base pay is just one part of our total compensation package. The base compensation for this role will depend on education, experience, skills, and location.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance and 401(k) matching with immediate vesting
• Onsite café(s) and workout facilities
• Paid maternity and paternity leave
• Paid time off (PTO) + 2 personal holidays and 10 regular holidays
• Wellness incentives and MORE
   

Eligible full-time employees (salaried or hourly) may also receive MBO bonuses based on company, division, and individual performance.

All positions at SAS are full-time on-site.

U.S. Export Control Compliance
This role requires access to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Applicants must be authorized to access such information or eligible for government authorization.

Trade Secrets Notice
 By submitting an application, you agree not to disclose to Samsung—or encourage Samsung to use—any confidential or proprietary information (including trade secrets) belonging to a current or former employer or other entity.

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* Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and its subsidiaries are committed to employing a diverse workforce, and  provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.