Lead Operator

Company overview

Air Products is a global industrial gases leader with a long-standing focus on innovation, operational excellence, safety, and environmental responsibility. The business is centered on creating solutions that support major industries, critical healthcare needs, and large-scale production projects.

BHIG (Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases) is a regional development and investment joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Air Products Qudra (APQ). The organization combines the strengths of both companies to advance industrial innovation and operational performance in Saudi Arabia and the wider region, with a focus on low-carbon hydrogen and clean energy objectives.

Role summary

The HYCO Lead Operator reports to the HYCO Shift Supervisor and owns the day-to-day DCS and field operation of the HYCO facility. The role is responsible for keeping the hydrogen manufacturing unit running safely, steadily, and efficiently from the control room, while meeting customer production targets, quality standards, and environmental obligations. In addition to normal operating duties, the position supports safety permit execution, lockout/tagout activities, preventive maintenance work, corrective maintenance support, and shift leadership coverage when the supervisor is unavailable.

Safety, health, and environment

• Support a strong safety culture and help maintain a stable, injury-free work environment through safe work practices and complete documentation.
• Follow and enforce safe work permits, lockout/tagout controls, and management of change procedures.
• Serve as the initial operational responder during process emergencies, carry out emergency operating steps, initiate trips when needed, and guide field operators.
• Track the status of safety instrumented systems, fire and gas systems, and related interlock logic.
• Ensure emissions from the reformer stack and vent streams stay within permit limits and that waste streams are handled correctly.
• Apply the company’s basic safety practices to protect all operations personnel.

Technical and operations accountabilities

• Run the steam methane reformer-based hydrogen plant, including CO2 removal, CO2 compression, PSA with tail gas compression, membrane units, and associated utilities in line with work instructions.
• Operate the pipeline network that supplies hydrogen, steam, and CO2 to customer systems in a safe and efficient way.
• Track plant status and production progress, report shortfalls to the Shift Supervisor, and recommend corrective actions.
• Balance plant output in line with management direction so that safety, reliability, and profitability targets are achieved.
• Work to BHIG standards and recognized global practices for EH&S, productivity, reliability, quality, and customer service.
• Meet customer expectations for safety, reliability, product quality, and supply flexibility while maintaining strong customer communication at a senior level.
• Follow site operating manuals, checklists, and procedures for hydrogen, CO2, and steam production and supply.
• Coordinate with refinery counterparts through the relevant shift channels to align expectations for feedstock, utilities, power, hydrogen, steam, and future demand.
• Continuously monitor process values such as flow, temperature, pressure, level, and analytical readings through DCS to keep the plant within safe operating limits.
• Adjust control loops, setpoints, and cascades to maintain stable operation across integrated units.
• Use trends and historical data to spot performance drift, inefficiencies, and possible equipment trips or failures.
• Lead and support startup activities for entire plant systems or individual units from cold, warm, or hot standby conditions, and assist with commissioning work.
• Coordinate closely with field operators by providing clear instructions for equipment changes, isolations, and rounds.
• Work with maintenance teams on equipment preparation for maintenance, including isolation, purging, and blinding, and on safe return to service.
• Carry out precise shift handovers, clearly covering abnormalities, open work, and special instructions.
• Maintain accurate operating logs and production records for both personal and team logs, ensuring they meet the required standards.
• Investigate operating upsets and equipment issues with engineering teams and help implement permanent fixes.
• Contribute to improvement, debottlenecking, shutdown planning, and turnaround planning efforts.
• Coach and motivate the field operations team to improve performance and customer satisfaction.
• Build effective working relationships with engineering and maintenance personnel to continuously review plant and equipment performance.
• Maintain compliance with process safety requirements, MOC obligations, and OPHR requirements.
• Take part in investigations and root cause analysis and help implement durable corrective actions.
• Support operational excellence through productivity, reliability, quality, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Share plant activity updates across shifts to preserve continuity and safe operation.
• Complete other assigned duties in a timely and efficient manner.

Minimum qualifications and experience

• A bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or chemical process operations is preferred, along with around 10 years of experience. An associate technical degree or 2-year certificate may also be considered depending on experience and capability.
• At least 5 years of lead DCS operations experience is required.
• Background in DCS and field operations, ideally in an SMR-based hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, or syngas facility.
• Hands-on proficiency with DCS platforms such as Yokogawa Centum VP or Siemens PCS 7.
• Strong understanding of chemical engineering principles, thermodynamics, and process control.
• Broad technical awareness of operations, engineering, and maintenance activities.
• Ability to stay alert, assess situations quickly, and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills in English, including the ability to interact with customer representatives at a senior level and coordinate between operations and maintenance teams.
• Strong commitment to employee involvement, team building, and diversity.

Work context

This is a full-time onsite position in Jubail, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Additional information

Applicants should be prepared to support safe, reliable hydrogen facility operations, work closely with multiple plant functions, and take shift leadership responsibility when needed to ensure business continuity.