Shift Engineer – Sulphate of Potash (SOP) Plant

Atta Chemicals (Pvt.) Limited · Multan, Pakistan

Shift Engineer – Sulphate of Potash (SOP) Plant

Company: Atta Chemicals (Pvt.) Limited

Location: Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

Employment Type: Full-time | On-site

Vacancies: 2

Company Description

Atta Chemicals (Pvt.) Limited, established in 2008, is a chemical manufacturing company specializing in Sulphuric Acid, Formic Acid, Glauber's Salt, and Sodium Sulphate. The company is expanding its manufacturing operations with a Sulphate of Potash (SOP) production facility utilizing the Mannheim process.

Atta Chemicals is committed to operational excellence, product quality, workplace safety, and continuous improvement across its manufacturing facilities.

Role Description

We are seeking two qualified and technically competent Shift Engineers to oversee production operations at our Mannheim-process Sulphate of Potash (SOP) manufacturing plant in Multan.

The Shift Engineer will be responsible for managing plant operations during assigned shifts, ensuring continuous production, maintaining process parameters, supervising operating personnel, troubleshooting equipment and process issues, and coordinating with maintenance and quality control departments.

The successful candidates must demonstrate strong technical understanding, practical problem-solving abilities, and the capability to independently manage production shifts in a continuous-process chemical manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and manage overall SOP plant operations during assigned shifts.
• Monitor and control Mannheim furnace operating parameters, including temperature, raw material feeding, reaction conditions, and production rates.
• Ensure consistent SOP production while maintaining product quality and operational efficiency.
• Monitor the handling and consumption of Muriate of Potash (MOP/KCl) and Sulphuric Acid.
• Coordinate with the coal gasifier team to ensure stable fuel gas supply to the Mannheim furnaces.
• Monitor HCl gas handling, absorption systems, cooling water circulation, and associated equipment.
• Supervise plant operators, technicians, and helpers to ensure smooth shift operations.
• Identify and troubleshoot process abnormalities, equipment malfunctions, and production interruptions.
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation teams for preventive and corrective maintenance.
• Ensure compliance with plant safety procedures, particularly those involving concentrated acids, HCl gas, high-temperature equipment, and combustible producer gas.
• Maintain accurate shift reports, production records, raw material consumption data, equipment logs, and downtime reports.
• Coordinate with the quality control laboratory to maintain SOP product specifications.
• Ensure proper shift handovers and communicate operational issues to plant management.
• Support plant commissioning, performance optimization, and implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Identify opportunities to improve production efficiency, reduce material losses, and minimize operational downtime.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, preferably, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in chemical manufacturing, fertilizer production, or continuous-process industrial plants.
• Previous experience in Mannheim-process SOP manufacturing will be considered a significant advantage.
• Strong understanding of industrial chemical processes, process equipment, pumps, blowers, heat exchangers, furnaces, and material handling systems.
• Familiarity with PLC-based control systems, process instrumentation, and industrial automation.
• Practical knowledge of plant safety, emergency response, process monitoring, and troubleshooting.
• Strong leadership, communication, and shift management skills.
• Ability to work independently, make operational decisions, and respond effectively to plant emergencies.
• Willingness to work rotating shifts in a continuous-operation manufacturing facility.

Preferred Candidates

Preference will be given to candidates with hands-on experience in:

• Mannheim-process SOP plants or other fertilizer manufacturing facilities.
• High-temperature chemical reaction processes and industrial furnaces.
• HCl absorption and acid handling systems.
• Coal-gas-fired industrial heating systems.
• Commissioning and operation of newly established chemical manufacturing plants.