Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Unit Operations Consultant

🎯 Role Definition

The Unit Operations Consultant is an experienced process engineering professional who advises industrial and R&D clients on the design, optimization, troubleshooting, scale-up, commissioning, and safe operation of unit operations (distillation, extraction, filtration, drying, crystallization, evaporation, reactors, heat exchangers, and separation trains). The role blends hands-on pilot plant and manufacturing experience with process simulation, technical leadership, and consulting skills to translate lab results into robust, cost-effective, and compliant production processes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Process Engineer (plant or R&D)
Pilot Plant Engineer / Technician
Chemical or Bioprocess Research Scientist

Advancement To:

Senior Unit Operations Consultant / Principal Consultant
Lead Process Development Engineer
Director of Process Development or Operations
Technical Fellow or Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Lateral Moves:

Process Safety Engineer
Project Engineering Manager
Production/Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead end-to-end scale-up of laboratory processes to pilot and commercial scale by developing detailed mass and energy balances, dimensioning equipment, defining operating windows, and validating performance through trials and simulations.
Design and optimize separation trains (distillation, absorption, extraction) and solid–liquid operations (filtration, centrifugation, drying, crystallization) to improve yield, purity, throughput, and energy efficiency while minimizing CAPEX and OPEX.
Execute and oversee pilot plant campaigns: develop test plans, write SOPs, supervise sampling and analytical protocols, interpret data, and produce technical reports that support process decisions and scale-up strategies.
Use process simulation tools (Aspen Plus, HYSYS, PRO/II, gPROMS) to model unit operations, perform sensitivity analyses, and recommend optimal operating conditions and equipment specifications.
Troubleshoot operational issues in manufacturing and pilot environments — diagnose root causes for yield loss, fouling, unsteady-state behavior, and control loop instability, and implement corrective actions that improve reliability and safety.
Conduct thermodynamic and kinetic assessments (vapor–liquid equilibrium, solubility, crystallization kinetics, reaction kinetics) to inform process design and selection of separation strategies.
Lead HAZOPs, PHA/LOPA sessions, and risk assessments for new process trains and modifications, and translate findings into mitigation plans and updated procedures to ensure regulatory and safety compliance.
Develop and review technical documentation — PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, technical datasheets, test procedures, commissioning checklists, and validation protocols for pilot and commercial installations.
Provide technical leadership on capital projects: define scope, prepare specifications for vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, and control systems; evaluate vendor proposals; and support procurement and FAT/SAT activities.
Implement process control and automation strategies (DCS/PLC integration, advanced control, PID tuning) to stabilize operations, reduce variability, and enable safe scale-up.
Drive process optimization initiatives using Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical analysis (Minitab, JMP), and continuous improvement tools (Lean, Six Sigma) to deliver measurable improvements in throughput, cost, and sustainability.
Support regulatory filings and compliance activities (GMP/cGMP, FDA, EMA) by ensuring that process designs, validation protocols, and manufacturing controls meet quality and regulatory requirements.
Coach and mentor operator and engineering teams on unit operation fundamentals, troubleshooting techniques, start-up/shutdown procedures, and best practices for safe and efficient operation.
Perform energy and utility assessments to identify opportunities for heat integration, waste minimization, and improved environmental performance across unit operations.
Manage cross-functional technical programs involving R&D, manufacturing, QA/QC, supply chain, and external partners to ensure successful project delivery and knowledge transfer.
Design and execute sampling and analytical strategies to quantify process performance (mass balances, yield, impurity profiles), and integrate laboratory and plant data for decision-making.
Prepare detailed cost-benefit analyses and business cases for process improvements, new equipment, and technology adoption, providing ROI estimates and sensitivity scenarios to stakeholders.
Lead vendor and contractor evaluations, oversee installation and commissioning activities, and provide technical support during start-up and ramp-up phases to ensure process performance meets design intent.
Create and maintain training materials, operating procedures, and troubleshooting guides for long-term operations and continuous improvement in production environments.
Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies (membrane separations, process intensification), and best practices in unit operations to recommend innovations that reduce cycle time, cost, and environmental impact.
Facilitate knowledge transfer between R&D and manufacturing by bridging laboratory experiments with pilot/plant realities and ensuring scale-up assumptions are validated and documented.
Support business development and client engagements by preparing technical proposals, presenting process options, and delivering clear, client-facing reports and recommendations that align technical choices with business goals.
Implement and maintain metrics and KPIs for unit operations (yield, uptime, throughput, energy use, waste) and present regular performance reviews and improvement roadmaps to leadership.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to help stakeholders interpret pilot and plant datasets.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by recommending instrumentation and analytics that improve model fidelity and troubleshooting.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for better process control and monitoring.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team to prioritize process analytics and automation features.
Assist in the development and maintenance of process safety documentation, emergency response plans, and operator training drills.
Perform vendor acceptance testing and review vendor design documentation to ensure compatibility with plant systems and compliance with specifications.
Support sustainability initiatives by evaluating solvent recovery, water reuse, and waste minimization opportunities across unit operations.
Conduct benchmarking studies to compare internal processes against industry best practices and emerging technologies.
Help prepare and present technical training sessions and seminars at industry conferences or internal brown-bag events to build organizational expertise.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Deep knowledge of unit operations: distillation (tray/packed), liquid–liquid extraction, absorption, adsorption, filtration (cake, vacuum, pressure), centrifugation, drying (tray, fluid bed, spray), crystallization, evaporation, and heat transfer equipment.
Proficiency with process simulation and modeling tools such as Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSYS, PRO/II, gPROMS, MATLAB, and COMSOL for mass/energy balances and process optimization.
Strong experience in pilot plant operation, commissioning, start-up, scale-up methodology, and hands-on troubleshooting of pilot/commercial equipment.
Practical knowledge of process safety frameworks and tools: HAZOP, PHA, LOPA, SIL, and hazard identification with experience implementing mitigations.
Experience with GMP/cGMP environments and regulatory requirements for scale-up and manufacturing in pharmaceutical, fine chemical, or specialty chemical industries.
Ability to generate and review detailed PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, FAT/SAT protocols, and validation documentation.
Competence in statistical tools and experimental design (DOE, Minitab, JMP) to drive process optimization and robustness studies.
Familiarity with process control systems (DCS/PLC), PID tuning, advanced process control, and instrumentation fundamentals (flow, level, temperature, pressure, analytical sensors).
Proven track record in root cause analysis techniques (5 Whys, Fishbone/Ishikawa, FMEA) for continuous improvement and problem resolution.
Strong technical writing skills for preparation of reports, proposals, SOPs, and regulatory documents.
Competency in project management fundamentals: scope definition, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, and vendor management.
Experience with energy integration, heat exchanger network analysis, and utilities optimization to reduce operating costs.
Knowledge of environmental regulations and waste treatment technologies relevant to chemical and process operations.
Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation, analytical chemistry techniques (HPLC, GC, Karl Fischer, titration), and sample handling best practices.

Soft Skills

Excellent communication skills: ability to present complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders and clients.
Client-facing consulting skills: build trust, structure recommendations around business drivers, and manage expectations.
Strong problem-solving mindset with curiosity and persistence to investigate complex process issues.
Leadership and mentoring: coach engineers and operators, lead cross-functional teams, and influence without direct authority.
Project prioritization and time management to balance multiple client engagements and internal initiatives.
Collaborative team player who can work across R&D, manufacturing, QA, procurement, and external vendors.
Adaptability and resilience in dynamic environments with shifting requirements and tight timelines.
Attention to detail and disciplined documentation practices to ensure reproducibility and regulatory compliance.
Strategic thinking to align process recommendations with business goals such as cost reduction, sustainability, and time-to-market.
Negotiation and vendor management skills to secure appropriate equipment, services, and cost-effective solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Biochemical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field (preferred for senior or principal consultant roles).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Chemical Engineering
Biochemical / Bioprocess Engineering
Mechanical Engineering with process focus
Industrial Chemistry

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–15+ years of relevant experience in process development, unit operations, pilot plant operation, or manufacturing scale-up.

Preferred:

8+ years with progressive responsibility in unit operations, process design, or consulting.
Demonstrated experience across multiple unit operations and at least several full scale-up or commissioning projects.
Prior consulting or client-facing experience is highly desirable.