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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Unit Operations Analyst

💰 $70,000 - $110,000

OperationsProcess EngineeringData AnalysisContinuous Improvement

🎯 Role Definition

The Unit Operations Analyst is responsible for driving operational excellence across process units by analyzing unit-level performance, optimizing process parameters, implementing continuous improvement initiatives, and supporting scale-up and troubleshooting activities. This role blends engineering fundamentals (unit operations, heat/mass transfer, fluid flow), data analytics, and practical plant experience to improve yield, throughput, safety, and cost-efficiency. The analyst partners with operations, maintenance, R&D, quality, and supply chain to translate process data into actionable recommendations, sustainable process changes, and scalable best practices.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Process Engineer (Entry / Associate)
  • Operations Engineer / Production Engineer
  • Chemical / Mechanical Engineer with process exposure

Advancement To:

  • Senior Unit Operations Analyst / Lead Analyst
  • Process Improvement Engineer / Continuous Improvement Manager
  • Manufacturing Technical Manager / Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Engineering (Process Quality)
  • R&D Scale-up Engineer
  • Process Safety / HSE Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead unit-level performance analysis by collecting, cleaning, and interpreting process data (temperatures, pressures, flow rates, compositions, mass balances, and cycle times) to identify bottlenecks, waste, and variability—produce clear, prioritized recommendations that improve yield, uptime, and energy efficiency.
  • Design and execute root cause analyses (RCA) for recurring unit failures or quality excursions using structured methodologies (5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA), and drive corrective and preventive actions through cross-functional stakeholders to closure.
  • Develop and maintain unit operation standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and control limits that reflect best practices and regulatory expectations, ensuring version control and operator training alignment.
  • Perform mass and energy balance calculations and material flow audits for individual process units and cascades to validate process models, detect losses, and quantify opportunities for throughput or yield improvement.
  • Build and validate first-principles and empirical process models (steady-state and transient) to support debottlenecking, scale-up, and process optimization studies; collaborate with modeling/automation teams to deploy models into operations.
  • Implement statistical process control (SPC) and advanced analytics (trend analysis, multivariate analysis, hypothesis testing) at the unit level to detect early warning signals, reduce variability, and move KPIs into control.
  • Lead small-scale experiments and pilot trials that test proposed unit changes, collect controlled data, analyze results, and translate outcomes to full-scale plant recommendations, documenting lessons learned and safety considerations.
  • Drive continuous improvement projects using Lean and Six Sigma tools (DMAIC, value-stream mapping, kaizen events) focused on unit efficiency, changeover reduction, scrap reduction, and cycle time compression.
  • Coordinate with process control and instrumentation teams to optimize control strategies (PID tuning, cascade control, interlocks), specify setpoint changes, and evaluate the impact of automation on unit stability and operator workload.
  • Create and present concise, data-driven unit performance reports and dashboards for plant leadership and operations teams—translate complex technical findings into prioritized actions, ROI estimates, and implementation roadmaps.
  • Support CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) investigations related to unit performance and product nonconformance, ensuring robust technical justification and verification of effectiveness.
  • Perform reliability-centered maintenance input by analyzing failure modes and rates at the unit level, recommending redesign, spare parts revisions, or preventive maintenance schedule changes to improve availability.
  • Collaborate with procurement and supply chain to evaluate how raw material variability affects unit operation and propose ingredient/process tolerances or supplier controls to minimize process upset.
  • Support scale-up activities by translating laboratory or pilot parameters into unit-scale operating windows, material handling needs, utility requirements, and safety reviews—ensure scale-up risks are mitigated.
  • Lead energy and utility optimization initiatives at the unit level (steam, cooling water, compressed air), quantify savings opportunities, and work with facility engineering to implement low-cost and capital improvements.
  • Conduct safety and environmental risk assessments for proposed unit modifications, ensuring compliance with process safety management (PSM) standards, permit conditions, and local regulations.
  • Facilitate operator training sessions and hands-on coaching for new or revised unit operating procedures, ensuring knowledge transfer and measurable operator competence improvement.
  • Drive data integrity and instrumentation accuracy projects—lead calibration strategy reviews, sensor reliability assessments, and data historian quality checks to ensure analytics are built on trustworthy data.
  • Support new product introductions and process recipe changes by evaluating unit capability, required equipment alterations, and potential impacts on downstream/upstream units—provide go/no-go recommendations.
  • Analyze production schedules and resource constraints to recommend scheduling adjustments or minor process changes that maximize unit throughput and minimize changeover downtime.
  • Mentor junior analysts and engineers on unit operation fundamentals, process troubleshooting techniques, and data analysis best practices to build internal capability and succession depth.
  • Maintain up-to-date unit performance documentation, lessons learned logs, and technical reports to support audits, continuous improvement knowledge base, and cross-site replication of successful initiatives.
  • Act as the operational liaison for cross-functional technical reviews, ensuring unit-level impacts are fully represented during engineering change requests (ECRs) and capital project evaluations.
  • Drive waste reduction and by-product minimization projects at the unit level by analyzing process streams, proposing separation/recirculation solutions, and quantifying environmental and cost benefits.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Provide unit-level input to plant capacity planning and long-range forecasting exercises.
  • Represent unit operations in cross-site benchmarking and best-practice sharing initiatives.
  • Assist with pre-startup safety reviews (PSSR) and unit commissioning support during shutdowns and startups.
  • Support regulatory inspections by providing unit process documentation and performance records upon request.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep understanding of unit operations fundamentals: heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid dynamics, distillation, filtration, crystallization, evaporation, extraction, and mixing.
  • Proficient in mass & energy balance calculations and process flow diagram (PFD) interpretation.
  • Experience with process simulation and modeling tools (e.g., Aspen HYSYS/Plus, MATLAB, Simulink, gPROMS, or equivalent).
  • Strong data analytics skills: SQL, Python (pandas, numpy), R, or analytics platforms; able to extract, clean, and analyze time-series process data.
  • Expertise in Statistical Process Control (SPC), control charts, capability analysis, and multivariate statistical techniques.
  • Familiarity with process control systems and instrumentation (DCS/SCADA, PLCs, PID tuning, historian data).
  • Hands-on experience with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies; Green Belt or Black Belt preferred.
  • Competence with root cause analysis tools: FMEA, 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams, fault tree analysis.
  • Ability to design and execute pilot-scale experiments and interpret scale-up implications.
  • Knowledge of regulatory requirements and quality systems relevant to industry (e.g., cGMP, FDA, EPA, ISO) where applicable.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (advanced formulas, pivot tables), Power BI / Tableau or other dashboarding tools.
  • Experience with reliability analysis, CMMS systems, and preventive maintenance strategy input.

Soft Skills

  • Strong analytical reasoning and problem-structuring ability; converts complex data into clear, actionable recommendations.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication; able to translate technical findings for non-technical stakeholders.
  • Collaborative team player who influences across operations, maintenance, quality, and R&D.
  • Project management skills: prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and drive cross-functional initiatives to closure.
  • Attention to detail and commitment to data integrity and documentation accuracy.
  • Adaptability and resilience in a dynamic production environment with competing priorities.
  • Coaching and mentoring mindset to develop junior engineers and operators.
  • Strong customer-service orientation with internal stakeholders and site leadership.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, or related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Chemical/Process Engineering, Applied Statistics, or an MBA with operations focus.
  • Professional certifications (Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, Lean Practitioner, Certified Reliability Engineer).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Chemical Engineering
  • Process Engineering / Industrial Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Applied Data Science / Statistics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of hands-on experience in process/production environments; 3–5 years common for mid-level roles.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of experience working with continuous or batch unit operations in chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, food, consumer goods, or specialty manufacturing.
  • Demonstrated track record of leading process improvement projects, conducting RCAs, and delivering measurable KPIs (yield, throughput, OEE, cost savings).
  • Prior experience working within regulated environments (cGMP, ISO) or with environmental/compliance reporting considered highly advantageous.
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