Chemicals & Materials STEM OPT Jobs in Texas
Texas is one of the top states for chemicals and materials F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship, anchored by a dense industrial corridor along the Gulf Coast. Companies like ExxonMobil, Dow, LyondellBasell, and Celanese operate major facilities in Houston, Beaumont, and Corpus Christi, creating consistent demand for materials scientists, chemical engineers, and process engineers seeking STEM OPT authorization.
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INTRODUCTION
The Engineer/Senior Production Engineer reports to the Engineering Superintendent, Production and is responsible for working closely with the Production/Operations, Maintenance, Commercial Operations, Gas Supply, Pipeline Gas Scheduling, Process Services, and Engineering Services departments to assist in supporting the safe and sustainable realization of facility production targets and other critical KPI’s.
This would include but not be limited to supporting the maintenance of facility production capacity curves, tactical plant optimization and monitoring tools specific to all sections of the LNG facility, supporting the maintenance of a facility loss accounting tool, assisting with Supply Chain Management, support the management of departmental KPIs, Production Reporting, and support the coordination of supply of catalysts and chemicals needed to operate the facility.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Forecasting:
- Review and validate forecasting and scheduling tools. Utilizing these tools, advise Production Management of limitations or deficiencies that may impact production.
- Lead the daily strategy planning with Production Management and work to overcome the limitations and deficiencies to ensure targets are met.
- Work with the turnaround planning organization as a technical resource.
- Support the monitoring and ordering of catalysts, refrigerants, and chemicals needed to manage the facility.
- Provide feed gas estimates, monitor pipeline operations, and manage LNG inventories.
Energy Balance:
- Maintain tools and energy balance models.
- Perform daily energy balance.
Environmental:
- Support with quantifying facility emissions to support environmental and compliance reporting.
- Assist with the development, maintenance, and utilization of appropriate tools used to calculate and track flared quantities to ensure compliance with Environmental Regulatory requirements.
- Assist with the development, maintenance, and utilization of appropriate Environmental Monitoring tools that monitor water injection rates into the gas turbines for emissions control. Validate deviations and assist with troubleshooting activities to minimize/prevent non-compliant operations.
Reporting:
- Maintain the daily Production status reports depicting all critical information and data for end users. This includes Inlet Feed Gas measurement and allocation, Power Consumption, LNG/NGL Production, Emissions and Waste measurements, and Efficiency monitoring.
- Develop, measure, and generate reports against Production KPIs.
- Assist with the development and maintenance of the Loss accounting summaries to allow for the identification or categorization of facility production losses into buckets or tiers.
Technical Support / Production Optimization:
- Support the preparation of production performance summaries for each process unit summarizing data on total production, capacity utilization, operating reliability, unit efficiency, production loss categories and quantities, and energy utilization.
- Assist with development and utilize scheduling tools that monitor process efficiency and make improvement recommendations that will increase productivity.
- Provides daily support to plant Production personnel in troubleshooting process issues and concerns.
- Assist with the development of computer process simulations in support of daily plant operations, as necessary.
- Interact with Reliability, Engineering & Process Services engineers to define problems that need further study, design, and carry out tests in the interest of enhancing production or solving process problems.
General:
- Thoroughly understand the technical Management of Change (MOC) process and utilize it in support of facility changes.
- Participate in Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR), Process Hazard Analysis (PHAs) and Regulatory Agency Audits.
- Participate in Incident Investigations.
- Support procedure development and training related to capital projects, temporary or new modes of operation, and compliance.
- Reinforce safety and environmental awareness through frequent job observations and by interfacing with plant personnel.
- Work with Engineering and Construction department to ensure O & M interests are represented on major projects.
- Manage components of the department budget.
- Train and develop Production Engineering staff.
- Must maintain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card in good standing status.
The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time, or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge:
- Understands all facets of Feed Gas Allocation, and LNG/NGL production, storage, and shipping, including health, safety, governmental regulations, and associated codes and standards.
- Understands the principles of fluid flow, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and hydrocarbon process chemistry as applied to an operating process unit. Familiar with the hazards of hydrocarbon processes and the methods used to keep process facilities safe. Knowledge of LNG process engineering and competent in the use of process simulation software.
Skills:
- Strong analytical, leadership, and administrative abilities are required.
- An acute sensitivity to safety issues in a hazardous environment.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively at all levels of an organization and with individuals and groups from different disciplines, industries, and governmental agencies.
- Able to work with a culturally diverse group of technical individuals whose skills cover the range required to engineer, operate, and maintain the LNG terminal and Liquefaction production facilities.
- Possess the personality and ability to relate to and establish a mutually respectful relationship with management, peers, and the various facility level workers (Plant Manager, plant supervision, and plant workers) whom are all responsible for ensuring good operations.
- Organized, planning skills, able to manage multiple activities and programs in timely fashion and with a high degree of accuracy, able to meet work deadlines.
- Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Accomplished public speaker, able to create and deliver industry-specific presentations.
- Computer savvy including Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Access, Project, and PowerPoint.
- Competent in use of specialized software including but not limited to PI, Process Book, Sigmafine, HYSYS, Pro-Treat, HTRI & Seeq.
- Thorough understanding and interpretation of P&ID’s, HMB, and complex loops and control logic.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Education, Training, and Certifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Mechanical/Process/Chemical or Petroleum Engineering. A Professional Engineer’s (PE) License is a plus but not required.
Experience:
- Engineer, Production: Three plus (3+) years demonstrable experience as an Engineer, Production or Process Engineer on an LNG liquefaction facility or equivalent applicable experience is required with a solid understanding of feed gas pre-treatment, NGL/Condensate management and Storage and loading applications. Other Process related experience in petrochemical, NGL, cryogenic natural gas processing, or other hydrocarbon processing experience is a plus.
- Senior Engineer, Production: Five plus (5+) years of demonstrable experience as a Production Engineer, Process Engineer, or Operations on an LNG Liquefaction Facility or equivalent applicable experience is required with a solid understanding of feed gas pre-treatment, NGL/Condensate management and Storage and loading. Other Operations-related experience in petrochemical, NGL, cryogenic natural gas processing, or other hydrocarbon processing experience is a plus.
DIRECT REPORTS
There are no direct reports to this position.
FREEDOM TO ACT
The Engineer/Senior Production Engineer requires minimal supervision.
WORK CONDITIONS:
- The job is performed in an industrial plant environment.
- Occasionally, work may be performed from home, after normal work hours or on weekends.
- Limited travel required, as business conditions dictate.
- Subject to drug and alcohol testing, per applicable federal regulations or as required by Cheniere.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is often required to stand, walk, sit, climb stairs, work at height above ground on stairs and catwalks, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, talk or hear, smell, type, and write.
- Must be able to board a ship via a gangway, climb to the top of a tank (200+ steps), scale vertical steel ladder up to 40 feet or more in height, and lift and move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee will work indoors and outdoors, and be exposed to year-round weather conditions, ocean environment, and noise. There is a considerable amount of outdoor activities involved.
- Specific vision abilities required include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Required to pass regularly scheduled physical examinations mandated by regulatory authorities.
- Required to obtain mandated certification by attending Company-sponsored training in basic first aid, CPR, and LNG firefighting.
ADA JOB REQUIREMENTS
Reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure that the essential functions of the job can be performed and not hinder the employee's performance due to physical or mental disability.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Cheniere Energy is an equal-opportunity workplace. All employment decisions are made without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected categories. This includes providing reasonable accommodation if requested for disabilities or religious beliefs and practices.
STEM OPT Chemicals & Materials Job Roles in Texas
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Search Chemicals & Materials Jobs in TexasChemicals & Materials STEM OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Texas: Frequently Asked Questions
Which chemicals and materials companies sponsor F-1 STEM OPT visas in Texas?
Major chemicals and materials employers with a documented history of STEM OPT sponsorship in Texas include ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, LyondellBasell, Celanese, Huntsman Corporation, and Chevron Phillips Chemical. These companies operate large R&D and manufacturing facilities across the Houston Ship Channel area and the Gulf Coast, and their DOL Labor Condition Application filings reflect consistent hiring of international talent in technical roles.
Which cities in Texas have the most chemicals and materials F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Houston is the undisputed center for chemicals and materials sponsorship jobs in Texas, driven by its position as a global petrochemical hub. Beaumont and Port Arthur, both along the Gulf Coast refining corridor, also see significant hiring. Midland and Odessa attract materials and process engineering talent tied to the Permian Basin. Austin has a smaller but growing advanced materials segment linked to semiconductor and electronics manufacturing.
What types of chemicals and materials roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship?
Roles that commonly qualify include chemical engineer, process engineer, materials scientist, polymer chemist, analytical chemist, R&D engineer, and quality assurance engineer. These positions generally fall under STEM-designated CIP codes, meaning your degree program must align with the role. Positions requiring a bachelor's or higher in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a closely related field are most likely to meet USCIS specialty occupation and STEM OPT eligibility standards.
How do I find chemicals and materials F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Texas?
Migrate Mate lets you filter directly for chemicals and materials employers in Texas that have filed Labor Condition Applications for roles, so you can focus your search on companies with verified sponsorship activity rather than guessing from a general job board. You can narrow results by city, role type, and employer size. This is especially useful in Texas, where the chemicals sector is large but sponsorship willingness varies widely between employers.
Are there state-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Texas?
Texas has no state-level visa or work authorization requirements beyond federal rules, but the chemicals and materials industry here is heavily regulated by the EPA and OSHA, meaning some roles involve security clearances or export control restrictions that can affect international hiring. Employers in refining and petrochemicals along the Gulf Coast sometimes require E-Verify enrollment, which is a separate compliance step from STEM OPT approval. Confirming an employer's E-Verify status and export control policy before applying is advisable.