Process Automation Manager

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 are seeking a highly skilled Process Automation Manager to lead the design, implementation, and optimization of process automation applications across diverse plants, geographies, and technologies at both regional and global levels.

In this role, you will:

• Drive the development and execution of automation strategies to enhance efficiency and operational performance.
• Provide technical expertise and support, establishing technology-specific standards and best practices.
• Guide projects and plant teams, ensuring alignment with industry benchmarks and operational excellence.
• Oversee success across capital investment and continuous improvement projects, fostering innovation and scalability.
• Ensure seamless execution throughout all project phases, including front-end loading, detailed design, construction, commissioning, and startup.

This position plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of automation, driving transformative improvements, and ensuring the smooth integration of cutting-edge technologies within our operations.

As a subject matter expert in a specific technology area, the individual will apply deep technical and technology knowledge to solve complex challenges and deliver significant value to Dow. Recognized within the discipline and geography for expertise, they will actively contribute to global teams, promoting knowledge-sharing and best practice applications.

In this role, leadership extends beyond technical problem-solving to directing both Dow and contract resources, guiding engineering efforts, and coordinating activities with external contractors and suppliers. A key responsibility includes ensuring that technical standards (MET) are properly applied, addressing any variances efficiently in collaboration with global discipline experts. This role responsibility also includes supporting the development and maintenance of technology-specific MET and best practices, ensuring that projects and plants effectively implement those standards. Additionally, the individual will oversee the design and implementation of control strategies, including safety systems (SIS) and basic process control systems (BPCS)—a unique and critical aspect of this position. A crucial aspect of the role is driving the continuous improvement of Process Automation key indicators, including Alarms, Interlocks Activation, Control Loop Performance, and Advanced Control & Optimization, to enhance operational performance across plants and sites. Whether leading site-executed projects or managing large-scale initiatives regionally and globally, this position demands a strong understanding of engineering disciplines, coupled with the ability to drive automation solutions and strategic outcomes.

Responsibilities:

In a project leadership capacity:

• Establishes project goals and planning. Tracks progress, schedules, and costs for the PA team during all project phases.
• Completes technical review of the control teamwork and provide coaching/corrective feedback.
• Determines testing scenarios and oversees the simulation of the control system to test the strategy and improvements.
• Works with other engineers to determine the project and control requirements.
• Creates the process control overview for the project and develops user requirement system specifications.
• Estimates the process control cost and schedule for the project and manage against these baselines.
• Develops functional requirement specification (FRS) for the system and creates detailed design specifications (DDS).
• Develops control software, operator graphics and simulation software.
• Completes the factory acceptance test (FAT) Commissioning.
• Provides training of operations and support commissioning and start-up of the new asset.

In a manufacturing execution system (MES) engineer capacity:

• Serves as the subject matter expert for work execution, tools and systems supporting and interfacing in the space of Production Operations Management.
• Participates in project scoping activities.
• Drives strategic solutions in partnership with stakeholders.
• Engages with stakeholders and cross-discipline and cross-functional global project teams.
• Performs high level functional activities, such as requirements gathering and gap analysis of user requirements, requires functional and business expertise.
• Participates in the design specifications, configuration, testing, implementation and startup of manufacturing execution systems (MES) solutions.
• Identifies and deploys Most Effective Technology (MET) standard solution components to meet project requirements.
• Supports training of operations and support commissioning and start-up of the asset.
• Supports future process improvements and product development/solution roadmap.

In a technology associate capacity:

• Provides technical support, coaching and consulting for project teams, operations, maintenance, and other technology centers.
• Identifies and develops both technology and work process enhancements which deliver value.
• Supports the implementation of discipline technology strategy and provides input/feedback on the strategy in specific area of expertise.
• Serves as site or regional technology focal point, providing timely technical reviews and input to complex designs and/or any variances from MET on capital projects or in support of maintenance/operations.

Required qualifications:

• A minimum of a bachelor's degree in process automation, engineering, manufacturing, or a related technical discipline.
• A minimum of 6 years of experience in relevant field.
• A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States.  No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.

Preferred qualifications:

• Prior experience with Dow—either as a direct employee or contractor.
• Experience in at least one of our business technologies (or similar): Isocyanates, Propylene Glycol (POPG), or Chlor-Alkali and Vinyl (CAV).

Your skills:

• Leadership: Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of individuals to influence and guide followers or other members of an organization.
• Stakeholder Management: Stakeholder management is the process of identifying, prioritizing, and engaging stakeholders throughout the product development process.
• Strategic Planning: Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy.
• Process Control: Process control refers to the active changing of the process based on the results of process monitoring.
• Communication:  Professional communication, encompasses written, oral, visual and digital communication within a workplace context. 

Note: This position does not offer relocation assistance.

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 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023. 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 the diversity of our workforce, 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.

Dow is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to providing opportunities without regard for race, color, religion, sex, including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity, national origin, age, disability and genetic information, including family medical history. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may call us at 1-833-My Dow HR (833-693-6947) and select option 8.