Principal Process Engineer Jobs
Principal Process Engineer jobs are open across chemicals, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing, from senior individual contributor to principal and staff levels, with specializations in process optimization, scale-up engineering, and continuous improvement. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Lilly is constructing an advanced manufacturing facility in Houston, TX, to produce API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) molecules. The site will supply APIs for current and future products, including new modalities. This is a chance to join the startup team for a greenfield manufacturing site. The successful candidate will help build the processes and facility that carry the site into GMP manufacturing operations.
We are seeking a Principal Process Engineer for Environmental Controls to support the API manufacturing business in Houston. This engineer will be responsible for Environmental Controls (ECU) systems in a GMP environment, including tank farm operations, solvent recovery systems and air emissions systems. The role is core to delivering our product pipeline across batch and continuous API production and development.
Responsibilities:
Facility Start-Up
- Provide engineering support to the Global Facility Delivery Team (Lilly's global large scale capital delivery team) with a strong focus on right first time and on schedule facility start-up. This includes design reviews, process safety assessments, user requirements, C&Q support, unit operation shakedown and start-up, and facility operational readiness.
- Contribute to the integrated operational readiness plan and own the elements assigned to you, such as SOP development, maintenance strategy, automation optimization, pre-startup safety reviews, alarm requirements, and performance qualification requirements and protocol development.
- Own the qualified state of equipment for your assigned systems.
- Develop and implement unit operation and equipment control strategy to sustain and optimize critical utilities systems in support of manufacturing operations.
- Support initial operations training as the equipment and area SME for assigned systems.
- Provide engineering support in critical utilities operations through application of chemical and/or mechanical engineering fundamentals.
- Monitor, assess and document equipment performance to maintain ongoing qualification.
- Support development and maintenance of the basis of safety for equipment as required.
- Apply mechanistic modelling, process simulation and analysis to enhance process understanding and control.
- Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities related to equipment and processes as a core member of the cross-functional process team.
- Use root cause analysis techniques to investigate process and equipment issues and deliver robust and sustainable corrective and preventative actions.
- Collaborate with maintenance teams to plan and execute scheduled maintenance activities, including equipment calibration and testing.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering.
- 3+ years of relevant experience in manufacturing operations.
- 2+ years of experience working in a process safety management (PSM) regulated environment.
- Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.
- Experience in Pharmaceutical or Chemical Manufacturing.
- Deep technical interest and understanding in the field of chemical engineering.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Working knowledge of Environmental Controls systems such as tank farms, solvent recovery, or air emissions abatement.
- Exposure to facility start-up, commissioning and qualification, or operational readiness work.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a process team consisting of a diverse group of management, production, science and engineering professionals.
- Creativity to identify improvement opportunities and the tenacity/initiative to see them implemented.
- Guidance/mentoring of others through processes.
- Flexibility to meet business needs.
- Occasional travel required, 5 to 10%.
- Required to be working onsite.
- Required to be on-call.
- Occasional shift work may apply.
Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$67,500 - $151,800
Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.
#WeAreLilly
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Find JobsPrincipal Process Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman20

- AbbVie8

- ASM7

- Eli Lilly6

- Worley5

Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
- Manufacturing
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal process engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's or advanced degree in chemical, mechanical, or industrial engineering
- 10 or more years of hands-on process engineering experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment
- Proficiency with process simulation software such as Aspen Plus or HYSYS
- Demonstrated experience leading process hazard analyses and HAZOP reviews
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification, or equivalent continuous improvement credential
- Experience authoring and approving process safety documentation including P&IDs and PFDs
Tips for Your Principal Process Engineer Job Search
Quantify your process improvement outcomes
Hiring managers for principal-level roles expect metrics, not descriptions. For each project on your resume, state the baseline, what you changed, and the measurable result, whether that's yield improvement, cycle time reduction, or cost savings at scale.
Highlight cross-functional leadership without a title
Principal process engineers often lead without direct reports. Show you've driven alignment across operations, quality, and R&D by naming the teams involved, the decision you influenced, and the outcome, so reviewers see leadership embedded in your technical work.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists principal process engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by process type, not just title
Job titles vary widely: some postings say principal, others say staff or senior principal. Search by the process you specialize in, such as distillation, CVD, or fill-finish, alongside the seniority level to surface roles that match your actual expertise.
Prepare a stage-gate or design review case study
Interviewers at the principal level almost always ask you to walk through a complex project decision. Have one ready that covers your technical reasoning, the tradeoffs you weighed, stakeholder pushback you managed, and what you would do differently now.
Negotiate scope before you negotiate compensation
At the principal level, your first negotiation should clarify ownership: which processes you lead, your authority over capital decisions, and how your roadmap connects to business goals. Scope ambiguity at offer stage tends to get worse after you start.
Principal Process Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most principal process engineers?
The most active employers for principal process engineers right now are Northrop Grumman, AbbVie, and ASM, and the most openings are in California, Texas, and Massachusetts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand tends to be strongest at large integrated manufacturers and specialty chemical producers with active capital programs.
How many principal process engineer jobs are remote?
About 46% of principal process engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with on-site roles concentrated in facilities-dependent sectors like chemicals, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals. Process development, modeling, and technical program management sub-functions tend to offer the most remote flexibility within this title.
How do you become a principal process engineer?
Start with a degree in chemical, mechanical, or industrial engineering and spend several years in hands-on process roles where you own specific unit operations or production lines. Build depth in one process domain, then demonstrate cross-functional impact by leading projects that touch capital, safety, and quality simultaneously. Certifications in process safety or Lean Six Sigma help validate your readiness for the principal designation.
Can you get hired as a principal process engineer without prior principal-level experience?
Yes, but you need to close the gap between your current title and the role's scope. Identify two or three projects where you led technical decisions that affected more than your immediate team, document the business impact, and position those as principal-caliber work. Smaller companies and startups are more likely to promote on demonstrated output rather than a matching title on your resume.
What does the principal process engineer interview process look like?
Most processes run three to five rounds. An initial screen with HR or a recruiter is followed by a technical phone interview with a hiring manager focused on your process expertise and project scope. Later rounds typically include a panel with engineering leads, a case study or whiteboard exercise on a process design or troubleshooting scenario, and a final conversation with a director or VP on strategic fit and leadership philosophy.
Where can I find and apply to principal process engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to principal process engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your process domain and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing that fits your background.
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