Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Refinery process engineer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer,

Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical refinery process engineer skills. We ranked the top skills for refinery process engineers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 17.7% of refinery process engineer resumes contained psm as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a refinery process engineer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 refinery process engineer skills for your resume and career

1. PSM

PSM stands for Process Safety Regulations. It involves executing a healthy and compact PSM system. The main goal of process safety management (PSM) of extremely dangerous chemicals is to limit undesired discharges of hazardous chemicals particularly into areas that could expose workers and others to serious uncertainties. It is all about working with critical thinking skills to deal with the problem logically. Also, investigating options, avoiding biases, and concentrating on essential data to make useful outcomes.

Here's how refinery process engineers use psm:

Lead Process Safety Management (PSM) Engineer analyzing over 500 processes per OSHA 1910 compliance.
Process owner for Process Hazard Analysis program, management of change and PSM compliance activities.

2. MOC

Here's how refinery process engineers use moc:

Project manager for successful conversion of MOC program into web-based program, in addition to regular revisions and upgrades.
Developed policies, procedures and strategies to implement new, or improve existing programs including MOC.

3. Engineering Support

Engineering support means providing assistance to different engineers working in the company. It enables them to complete their tasks effectively and timely. Engineering support revolves around diagnosing and resolving software and hardware problems. They also look for network issues and resolve them in a timely manner.

Here's how refinery process engineers use engineering support:

Provided Equipment Engineering Support and Equipment Installations for advanced Manufacturing Process Control initiatives and to support increased production utilization and planning.
Provided on-site engineering support for six-week plant turnaround resulting in on-time delivery of reactor modifications and a successful catalyst change-out.

4. Process Design

Process design is the act of creating a result-driven process that will lead to the achievement of an organization's goals, visions, and objectives. At its core, process design is the defines the processes and strategies that an organization can implement into achieving its lofty aims and objectives. It's usually presented in form of an infographic labeling each stage and with arrows showing the hierarchy of the steps.

Here's how refinery process engineers use process design:

Provided on-call technical support to tall oil refineries globally and simultaneously managed multiple large process design and process improvement projects.
Process Design - Lead Process Engineer for Capital Projects o Pre-Conceptual through Construction / Start-up phases for MSAT II Compliance Project.

5. Distillation

Here's how refinery process engineers use distillation:

Optimized and troubleshooted various distillation columns.
Worked as a Fractionation Specialist in the Distillation & Gas Processes section.

6. Process Engineering

Process engineering is the agreement and use of the essential standards and laws of nature that permit us to change crude material and energy into items that are valuable to society, at a mechanical level.

Here's how refinery process engineers use process engineering:

Developed unique solutions to process engineering problems that process engineers were not accustomed to handling.
Collected data for cereal processing equipment to help determine process engineering design rates and bottlenecks.

7. Equipment Design

Here's how refinery process engineers use equipment design:

Exercise judgment in equipment design and process development to coordinate between process requirements, economics, operator effectiveness and environment/safety objectives.
Work with engineering center for equipment design preference and best operational design.

8. PHA

Here's how refinery process engineers use pha:

Facilitated PHA studies and recommended engineering controls.
Lead PHA for capital projects with an in-depth knowledge of the global best- practice solution and regional regulatory requirements.

9. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are a set of standardized procedures, that ensures minimal to no risk to people, resources, and the work environment. A company follows the step-by-step safety procedures as it they not only keep the customers and the employees safe, but also help in avoiding legal claims.

Here's how refinery process engineers use safety procedures:

Authored procedures and documentation for compliance as hazardous waste generator and trained staff on hazards and safety procedures regarding chemical hazards.
Implemented safety procedures and engineering controls.

10. Mechanical Integrity

Here's how refinery process engineers use mechanical integrity:

Initiated and led project to reprogram malfunctioning Microsoft Access database that tracked Mechanical Integrity inspections for Process Safety program.
Provided appropriate designation of the PSM-covered equipment in the site s mechanical integrity program and presented result to client.

11. Fuel Oil

Here's how refinery process engineers use fuel oil:

Determined the fuel to air ratio needed for the combustion of fuel oil in the Carbon Black plant reactor.

12. BPD

Here's how refinery process engineers use bpd:

Supervised and trained operation personnel in the safe operation of 27,000 BPD oil refinery.

13. Start-Up

A start-up is the creation of a business or the development of a unique product or service and its introduction to the market. Startups are established by one or several entrepreneurs who wish to develop a product or service with the belief that there is a demand. Startups start with limited revenue and therefore seek funding from friends, families, and/or venture capitalists.

Here's how refinery process engineers use start-up:

Project included development of Commissioning and Start-up Procedures.
Facilitated product development, oversaw process scale up, and lead the construction/project installation start-up and commissioning efforts.

14. Troubleshoot

Troubleshooting is the process of analyzing and fixing any kind of problem in a system or a machine. Troubleshooting is the detailed yet quick search in the system for the main source of an issue and solving it.

Here's how refinery process engineers use troubleshoot:

Maintain and troubleshoot process equipment; recommending and implementing modifications, and specifying new equipment as required by new operations.
Led and assisted maintenance in resolving equipment malfunctions, troubleshoot process problems, and organize and implement preventative maintenance procedures.

15. Heat Exchangers

A heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from one medium to another. The heat exchanger is used in both the heating and cooling process.

Here's how refinery process engineers use heat exchangers:

Installed a Twisted Tube heat exchanger at the refinery.
heat exchangers, pumps, vessels, and column internals.

What skills help Refinery Process Engineers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on refinery process engineer resumes?

Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer

Professor and Chair, Xavier University

Programming languages, numerical design and simulation tools, knowledge of various measurement equipment.

What soft skills should all refinery process engineers possess?

Dr. Heidrun Schmitzer

Professor and Chair, Xavier University

Communication, teamwork.

What type of skills will young refinery process engineers need?

John Ring

Director Engineering Outreach, Elon University

While our universities consistently educate engineering students with hard skills and strong engineering fundamentals, tomorrow's engineers need to be strong communicators, collaborators, and critical thinkers. Our professional environments are filled with data and information, and the constraint is typically how much time individuals can dedicate to solving a problem. At Elon University, we educate tomorrow's engineers to have the hard skills necessary to analyze the information and situations, apply critical thinking techniques to determine ways to solve the issue, and then concisely and efficiently communicate with colleagues as solutions are being set in motion.

Do you want to know more?

List of refinery process engineer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a refinery process engineer resume and required skills for a refinery process engineer to have include:

PSM
MOC
Engineering Support
Process Design
Distillation

Process Engineering
Equipment Design
PHA
Safety Procedures
Mechanical Integrity

Fuel Oil
BPD
Start-Up
Troubleshoot
Heat Exchangers

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs