Senior Mechanical Engineer (Tank Specialist)
Location: Corpus Christi, TX (Onsite)
Employment Type: Contract-to-Hire
Compensation: $60.00 – $90.00/hour
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, and 401(k)
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer (Tank Specialist) to support the evaluation, maintenance, and capital planning of aboveground storage tanks and associated fixed equipment within refinery, terminal, and petrochemical facilities. This role requires strong expertise in API tank standards, inspection data analysis, fitness-for-service evaluations, repair planning, and asset integrity management.
The ideal candidate will serve as a technical leader, providing engineering recommendations that support safe, reliable, and compliant operation of critical storage assets.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead engineering evaluations of in-service API 650, API 653, and API 620 storage tanks.
- Review tank inspection reports, corrosion assessments, settlement studies, and ultrasonic thickness (UT) data.
- Perform remaining life assessments and fitness-for-service evaluations.
- Develop repair, alteration, reconstruction, and replacement scopes of work.
- Evaluate tank settlement conditions and recommend mitigation strategies.
- Review fabrication drawings, repair packages, and contractor design calculations.
- Support capital projects by defining repair and replacement scopes, developing RFQs, and assisting with planning activities.
- Provide technical support during outages, turnarounds, and field execution activities.
- Review and support API 2000 venting calculations for normal and emergency venting requirements.
- Assist with tank fire protection evaluations and related engineering studies.
- Coordinate with inspectors, maintenance personnel, contractors, and engineering teams.
- Participate in constructability reviews, proposal development, and cost estimating efforts.
- Prepare weekly technical reports summarizing findings, progress, and recommendations.
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
Experience
- 10+ years of experience supporting API storage tanks in refinery, terminal, petrochemical, or related process industry environments.
- Strong knowledge of tank inspection, repair, maintenance, and integrity management programs.
Technical Expertise
- Thorough understanding of:
- API 650
- API 620
- API 653
- API 2000
- Experience reviewing inspection data, corrosion assessments, settlement analyses, and remaining life calculations.
- Working knowledge of welding procedures and repair practices for storage tanks.
Preferred Qualifications
- Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.
Physical & Site Requirements
Candidates must be able to meet client-specific site requirements, which may include:
- Working in industrial environments, both indoors and outdoors.
- Climbing ladders, stairs, scaffolding, and elevated structures.
- Working at heights while utilizing required fall protection equipment.
- Lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds.
- Working in varying weather conditions while wearing required PPE.
- Entering and working within confined spaces when necessary.
- Participating in client-required drug screening programs.
- Complying with site-specific safety policies, including facial hair requirements for respirator use.
This position offers the opportunity to play a key role in maintaining the integrity and reliability of critical storage assets while supporting major capital and maintenance initiatives across industrial facilities.