Principal Rotating Equipment Specialist - Corporate

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is a global leader in high-performance chemicals, fibers and plastics, committed to enhancing quality of life through innovation. With fully integrated manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, we develop essential solutions that drive safer vehicles, cleaner energy, advanced medical devices, and durable consumer goods. Guided by a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and customer success, we operate responsibly while delivering value through cutting-edge technologies and industry expertise. Join our team and be part of a collaborative environment where your work drives meaningful global impact.

The Corporate Rotating Equipment Specialist is responsible for improving the reliability, performance, and lifecycle value of rotating equipment across all Ascend manufacturing sites. Serving as the corporate subject matter expert, this role provides technical leadership, engineering governance, and reliability strategy support to site rotating equipment engineers and cross-functional teams while developing and deploying enterprise-wide standards, stewardship programs, and reliability improvement initiatives that maximize asset value and reduce total cost of ownership.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Improve rotating equipment reliability, availability, maintainability, and energy efficiency in support of business objectives.

• Provide consistent, high-quality technical guidance for the design, selection, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of rotating equipment across all sites.

• Eliminate systemic reliability issues through precision maintenance, Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and bad actor elimination programs.

• Strengthen reliability culture and operational discipline across the organization.

• Deploy advanced reliability technologies that improve equipment performance and operational competitiveness.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership Through Influence

• Lead the network of site rotating equipment engineers through technical leadership, coaching, mentorship, and influence without direct supervisory responsibility.

• Facilitate cross-site collaboration, knowledge sharing, and adoption of best practices.

• Establish corporate expectations for rotating equipment performance and reliability.

Technical Governance & Reliability Strategy

• Develop, optimize, and deploy corporate rotating equipment standards, specifications, and reliability programs.

• Establish enterprise-wide performance metrics and key performance indicators to identify and mitigate systemic reliability risks.

• Lead long-term rotating equipment reliability improvement planning across manufacturing facilities.

Engineering Expertise & Support

• Provide subject matter expertise for rotating equipment troubleshooting, reliability improvement, and bad actor elimination.

• Support equipment selection, design reviews, repair strategies, overhaul planning, and shop inspections.

• Lead and support Root Cause Failure Analysis investigations for significant equipment failures.

• Provide technical guidance to site teams to improve equipment reliability and lifecycle performance.

• Support capital projects to ensure rotating equipment decisions align with corporate standards, applicable codes, and industry best practices.

Program & Project Leadership

• Drive enterprise bad actor elimination initiatives and predictive maintenance program improvements.

• Support optimization of preventive and predictive maintenance strategies.

• Lead reliability and productivity improvement initiatives that deliver measurable business value.

• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies that enhance rotating equipment performance and reliability.

ESSH & Compliance

• Ensure rotating equipment engineering practices comply with Environmental, Safety, Security, and Health (ESSH) requirements and applicable regulatory standards.

• Promote safe work practices and operational discipline across all reliability activities.

TEAM AND INTERACTIONS

• Reports to: Corporate Reliability Director

• Provides technical leadership and guidance to site rotating equipment engineers across the enterprise.

• Works closely with reliability engineers, vibration specialists, mechanical integrity teams, maintenance organizations, operations leadership, engineering teams, and capital project groups.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience.

• 15+ years of rotating equipment or reliability engineering experience in chemical, petrochemical, manufacturing, or related industries.

• Demonstrated success leading technical programs and engineering networks through influence rather than direct supervision.

• Experience supporting equipment selection, design reviews, repairs, upgrades, and lifecycle management of critical rotating assets.

• Proven application of reliability improvement methodologies, industry standards, and recommended engineering practices.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Expert knowledge of rotating equipment design, application, operation, maintenance, and repair.

• Deep understanding of Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (RAGAGEP).

• Experience with compressors, pumps, turbines, blowers, governors, centrifuges, extruders, pelletizers, and bulk solids handling equipment.

• Proficiency with predictive maintenance technologies including vibration analysis, lubrication analysis, thermography, and ultrasound.

• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, schematics, and performance curves.

• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to evaluate economic justification for engineering decisions and communicate financial impacts.

• Strong communication skills, disciplined work habits, and a customer-focused mindset.

• Proficiency with SAP or similar maintenance and asset management systems.

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value transparency and fairness in our hiring process. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, search firms, or staffing agencies. Any resumes received from such entities will be considered the property of Ascend Performance Materials, and we will not be obligated to pay any fees for such submissions. Our Talent Acquisition Team actively engages with preferred recruitment partners who have established agreements with us. We encourage all interested candidates to apply directly through our official channels to be considered for any open positions.

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities ​​for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.