Lead Process Engineer
Photonics Group · Durham, NC
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Process
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 8+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A management process role at Photonics Group (industrial) in Durham, NC.
- They ask for
- 8+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Root cause, FMEA, DOE, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Process Engineer roles in North Carolina: typical posted base $93k–$120k.
Median of the low and high ends of 8 live postings that list pay, out of 37 process engineer openings in North Carolina, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
North Carolina plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 36 other live process postings in North Carolina.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (8+ vs 5+)
Typical $93k–$120k, from 8 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 41%
- Team leadership 30%
- SPC 27%
- Six Sigma 27%
- Lean 24%
- FDA / GMP 24%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Python, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Process team at Photonics Group
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from Photonics GroupAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Key Responsibilities
- ◆Lead the design, modelling, and optimization of enrichment and supporting process systems.
- ◆Translate R&D outputs into scalable production processes, ensuring repeatability, reliability, and safety.
- ◆Perform detailed process simulations and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modelling to validate design assumptions and optimize performance across flow, heat, and mass transfer regimes.
- ◆Conduct hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation planning (HAZOP, LOPA, FMEA) to ensure safe operations and compliance with regulatory standards.
- ◆Develop and maintain process documentation, design packages, PFDs, P&IDs, and operational procedures in alignment with QLE’s safety, export control, and quality frameworks.
- ◆Partner with cross-functional teams – Mechanical, Controls, Operations, and Safety – to deliver integrated, compliant engineering solutions.
- ◆Lead process development and equipment selection suitable for highly corrosive chemical environments, ensuring material compatibility and operational integrity.
- ◆Support system commissioning, test campaigns, and performance validation for pilot and production facilities.
- ◆Drive root-cause analysis, continuous improvement, and “first-time-right” execution across all process activities.
- ◆Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, curiosity, and collaboration.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Building the nuclear fuel for all – safe, abundant, and reliable energy that powers advanced reactors, accelerates the clean energy transition, and shapes the future of humanity. We’re a next-generation nuclear fuel company pioneering isotope enrichment technologies that enable secure, scalable access to critical fuels for advanced fission and fusion systems. With operations across the United States, United Kingdom, and South Africa, we are advancing toward commercial deployment – unlocking a new era of clean energy independence. Every person who joins plays a defining role in transforming how the world powers itself.
Our Culture- We are scientists, engineers, operators, and builders – united by a shared purpose: to power a sustainable and secure future for humanity.
The Opportunity
We’re looking for a Lead Process Engineer to join our Engineering & Operations team. In this role, you’ll be instrumental in designing, scaling, and optimizing the core enrichment process that underpins “clients” proprietary isotope separation technology.
This is a high-impact opportunity to produce the nuclear fuel of the future – safe, abundant, and reliable energy that powers advanced reactors and accelerates the clean-energy transition – by helping establish our first U.S. site and leading technical design integration, process optimization, and operational readiness.
About You
- •Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Nuclear Engineering (PhD a plus).
- •8+ years of relevant experience in process engineering, ideally within nuclear, chemical, or advanced manufacturing sectors.
- •Proven ability to scale technologies from lab or pilot to production environments with precision and repeatability.
- •Hands-on experience with highly corrosive chemicals, including material selection, containment, and safety protocols.
- •Skilled in process modelling and simulation tools (e.g., Aspen Plus, COMSOL, MATLAB) and CFD analysis (e.g., ANSYS Fluent or similar).
- •Deep understanding of hazard analysis, risk mitigation, and safety design frameworks in highly regulated or hazardous environments.
- •Strong foundation in chemical thermodynamics, separation processes, and system integration.
- •Excellent communicator and collaborator, able to bridge disciplines and geographies effectively.
- •Excited to build from first principles, innovate beyond convention, and deliver technologies that move humanity forward.
– What Sets You Apart
- •Experience scaling high-precision process systems from prototype to production – ideally within nuclear, chemical, or advanced manufacturing environments.
- •Familiarity with vacuum, gas handling, or laser-based separation systems.
- •Proficiency with process modeling and control tools (e.g., Aspen, MATLAB, or Python-based simulation).
- •Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts with a strong safety and quality mindset.
- •Excitement to work in a fast-paced, first-of-kind environment focused on technical excellence and collaboration.