LNG Operations Specialist - RFO at NextDecade – Brownsville, Texas
NextDecade
Brownsville, Texas, 78520, United States
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About This Position
LNG Operations Specialist - RFO
Minimum Requirements:Preferred Qualifications:
• Must be able to wear all mandatory/necessary PPE equipment to perform job functions.
• Ability to drive to other Company work locations as required.
• Ability to move throughout all areas of the facility, including being physically capable of traveling to a designed muster point during emergency situations.
• Operates in a complex construction environment.
• Exposure to indoor and outdoor weather conditions.
• Not necessarily protected from weather and temperature changes. Possible exposure to hot, cold, wet, humid, or windy weather conditions.
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts and electrical circuits.
• Exposure to constant or intermittent sounds of a pitch level sufficient to cause marked distraction.
• Routinely uses standard office and field communications equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers w/scanner and fax, and radios.
• Stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift.
• The incumbent is required to have fully mechanical motion and usage of all extremities.
• Physically able to walk, stand, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, lift, push, pull, climb, balance, crouch, handle, and lift items weighing up to 20 lbs. without assistance.
• May be required to enter confined spaces.
• May be required to work at elevated heights and access elevated structures without assistance.
• Must be able to clearly communicate with others via radio, phone, and verbal methods.
ABOUT NEXTDECADE CORPORATION
NextDecade is committed to providing the world access to reliable, lower-carbon energy. We are focused on delivering secure and cost-effective energy through the safe and efficient development and operation of natural gas liquefaction capacity at Rio Grande LNG. Through our subsidiaries, we are developing and constructing the Rio Grande LNG natural gas liquefaction and export facility near Brownsville, Texas, with approximately 48 MTPA of potential liquefaction capacity currently under construction or in development, sufficient space at the site for up to 10 liquefaction trains, and a potential carbon capture and storage project. NextDecades common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol NEXT. NextDecade is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit www.next-decade.com.
SUMMARY OF THE ROLE
NextDecade is seeking a full-time LNG Operations Specialist to support Ready for Operations (RFO) Team for the Rio Grande LNG facility located near Brownsville, Texas. The position will require work at the Rio Grande LNG Plant site located in Brownsville, Texas. The Operations Specialist will work closely with the Engineering & Construction (E&C) team, including the E&C Start-up & Commissioning Team, the EPC contractor, and the NextDecade Operations and Maintenance Teams, leveraging his extensive process knowledge and operational experience to ensure the safe and efficient transition from construction to operation of the LNG plant and its utility systems.
· The incumbent will report to the Director, RFO Production Operations.
· The Operations Specialist is a key member of the Operations team, serving as a liaison between Operations, the E&C team, and the EPC contractor during the commissioning and startup phases.
· The role has no direct reports but will collaborate extensively with contractors, vendors, and various internal teams.
· Peer level personnel will include members of the Operations, Marine, Maintenance, HSSE, Training and Engineering teams across all facility disciplines.
Key Responsibilities:· The incumbent will report to the Director, RFO Production Operations.
· The Operations Specialist is a key member of the Operations team, serving as a liaison between Operations, the E&C team, and the EPC contractor during the commissioning and startup phases.
· The role has no direct reports but will collaborate extensively with contractors, vendors, and various internal teams.
· Peer level personnel will include members of the Operations, Marine, Maintenance, HSSE, Training and Engineering teams across all facility disciplines.
- Collaborate with Operations, Project Engineering, and EPC contractors to provide operational input on pre-operations, commissioning, and startup plans.
- Review and contribute to commissioning procedures, test plans, and checklists to ensure alignment with operational best practices.
- Act as the operations liaison in coordination meetings to facilitate seamless system handovers.
- Provide operational expertise during pre-commissioning, including system walk-downs, punch list development, and issue resolution.
- Evaluate flushing, cleaning, and testing procedures for process and utility systems.
- Assist in planning and executing performance tests to ensure operational readiness and compliance.
- Interface with EPC contractors and RGLNG Project Team on PSSR requirements, as required, and participate in PSSR reviews and walkdowns for various systems and equipment.
- Support troubleshooting efforts during commissioning and startup.
- Ensure safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance in commissioning and startup activities.
- Contribute to developing and delivering training programs for operations personnel.
- Participate in Management of Change (MOC) reviews, providing operational insights on proposed modifications.
- Review commissioning and startup reports, offering recommendations for improvement.
- Facilitate knowledge transfer between operations, vendors, and technology licensors.
- Assist in developing and reviewing operating procedures for utility systems and LNG process units.
- Participate in HAZOPS, HAZIDS, Model Reviews, as needed. For Expansion Trains
- Provide input on plant shutdown and restart planning.
- Apply LNG expertise to optimize commissioning and startup procedures.
- Represent operations in process hazard analyses (PHAs) and layer of protection analyses (LOPAs).
- Review process control strategies and setpoints, ensuring optimal plant performance during startup.
- Work with process engineers to resolve discrepancies between design intent and actual plant behavior.
- Assess utility system capacities to meet LNG process demands.
- Offer guidance on managing process upsets and abnormal situations during commissioning and early operations.
- Bachelor's degree in Process Technology, Engineering (preferred), or a related field. Equivalent work experience in the field may be considered.
- 10+ years of experience in process operations or engineering within LNG or similar complex process plants.
- Proven experience collaborating with engineering teams and contractors on LNG projects.
- Strong knowledge of process safety management and its application in LNG operations.
- Expertise in process control systems, including DCS configuration and tuning for LNG.
- Familiarity with industry standards and regulations (e.g., NFPA 59A, API, OSHA PSM).
- Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to provide operational input to engineering decisions.
- Strong communication skills for effective interaction across all organizational levels.
Advanced Skills:
• LNG liquefaction processes (e.g., APCI, C3MR, SMR, Cascade).
• Cryogenic equipment commissioning and startup.
• Gas turbine and compressor operations.
• Control system configuration and tuning (DCS, PLC).
• Leak testing and tightness verification of cryogenic systems.
• Process safety management.
• Lock-out/Tag-out (LOTO) procedures: Proficiency in developing, implementing, and auditing complex LOTO programs.
• Permit-to-Work systems: Expert knowledge of electronic permit-to-work systems and their integration with isolation management.
• Isolation points verification techniques: Advanced understanding of methods to verify zero energy state across various systems.
Intermediate Skills:
• Risk assessment methodologies: Proficiency in quantitative risk assessment techniques specific to isolation activities. (HAZOP, LOPA).
• Project management techniques.
• Root cause analysis and incident investigation.
• Energy efficiency optimization for LNG plants.
Certifications & Additional Qualifications
• Engineering or Technology degree or equivalent LNG experience.
• Advanced training in process safety management.
• Vendor-specific training for key LNG equipment (Air Products, Linde, Baker Hughes).
Software Proficiency
• Advanced skills in PI or similar data historian software.
• Experience with 3D modeling software for plant walk-throughs and training.
• Familiarity with CMMS (computerized maintenance management systems).
• Knowledge of document control and change management software.
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office suite – MS Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint, MS Project
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to support individuals with ADA-recognized disabilities to perform the essential functions for the job.
• Must be able to wear all mandatory/necessary PPE equipment to perform job functions.
• Ability to drive to other Company work locations as required.
• Ability to move throughout all areas of the facility, including being physically capable of traveling to a designed muster point during emergency situations.
• Operates in a complex construction environment.
• Exposure to indoor and outdoor weather conditions.
• Not necessarily protected from weather and temperature changes. Possible exposure to hot, cold, wet, humid, or windy weather conditions.
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts and electrical circuits.
• Exposure to constant or intermittent sounds of a pitch level sufficient to cause marked distraction.
• Routinely uses standard office and field communications equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers w/scanner and fax, and radios.
• Stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift.
• The incumbent is required to have fully mechanical motion and usage of all extremities.
• Physically able to walk, stand, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, lift, push, pull, climb, balance, crouch, handle, and lift items weighing up to 20 lbs. without assistance.
• May be required to enter confined spaces.
• May be required to work at elevated heights and access elevated structures without assistance.
• Must be able to clearly communicate with others via radio, phone, and verbal methods.
Job Site Work Environment
Must be able to wear all necessary PPE equipment to perform job functions.
Operates in a complex construction environment.
Exposure to indoor and outdoor weather conditions.
Not necessarily protected from weather and temperature changes. Possible exposure to hot, cold, wet, humid, or windy weather conditions.
Exposure to moving mechanical parts and electrical circuits.
Exposure to constant or intermittent sounds of a pitch level sufficient to cause marked distraction.
Routinely uses standard office and field communications equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers w/scanner and fax, and radios.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to support individuals with ADA-recognized disabilities to perform the essential functions for the job.
Ability to drive to other Company work locations as required.
Ability to move throughout all areas of the facility, including being physically capable of traveling to a designed muster point during emergency situations.
Stand and/or sit continuously and perform job functions for a full shift.
The incumbent is required to have fully mechanical motion and usage of all extremities.
Physically able to walk, stand, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, lift, push, pull, climb, balance, crouch, handle, and lift items weighing up to 20 lbs. without assistance.
Visual acuity corrected to perform job functions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Must be able to clearly communicate with others via radio, phone, and verbal methods.
May be required to enter confined spaces.
May be required to work at elevated heights and access elevated structures without assistance.
If you require accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at recruiting@next-decade.com.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
*In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
NEXTDECADE VALUES
Safety We make safety a priority. Everything we do relies on the safety of our people and the communities around us.
Integrity We do the right thing, and are open, ethical, and fair. We hold ourselves to the highest standards in all that we do.
Honesty We value truth and honesty in ourselves and others. We honor our commitments and take responsibility for our actions.
Respect We listen, and respect people, the environment, and the communities in which we live and work.
Transparency Transparency builds trust. We promote open communication with our people, our customers, and all our stakeholders.
Diversity We value diversity of experiences and thoughts. It takes people with different strengths and backgrounds to make our company succeed.
NextDecade provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. NextDecade complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.
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Job Location
Brownsville, Texas, 78520, United States
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