(CEN) SR PROCESS SPECIALIST

Job Description

Make SmartOps optimization and anomaly detection models work in CEMEX cement plants, and keep them working. As the production and quality expert of the SmartOps program, specify and validate models with data scientists, confirm plant readiness, commission solutions on site, and coach plant teams until gains in yield, heat and power consumption, quality stability, and safety are verified against baseline. Build the repeatable method that lets each new plant start from what worked at the last one.

Main Responsibilities

- CEMEX Values & Leadership: Work following the Mission, Vision, and Values of CEMEX, leading by example across all corporate and plant-level interactions.

Process models

- Model specification: Work with data scientists and control specialists to define each model's variables, time delays, constraints, and valid operating ranges for raw mix, grinding, kiln, and cement quality. Set quality targets from LSF, moduli, free lime, fineness, and strength, and ground the logic in process chemistry and heat and mass balances.

- Anomaly detection: Design detection rules and models for abnormal process behavior, false air, refractory condition, and quality drift. Validate them against real events, measure false alerts, missed events, and warning time, and assign a response owner to each alert. Work with maintenance and reliability specialists where process and equipment anomalies overlap, such as mill overload.

- Validation and lifecycle: Test models on historical data and plant trials against agreed acceptance criteria before release. Afterward, track performance, use root cause analysis (RCA) on gaps and operator overrides, and update logic when raw materials, fuels, products, or equipment change. Keep approved versions on record, with agreed fallback and retuning rules.

- Remote monitoring and advisory: When not on site, review model alerts, autopilot utilization, and operator overrides across plants from Monterrey. Send recommendations to plant teams and escalate when they are not acted on.

Plant readiness

- Minimum requirements and audits: Define the minimum instrumentation, automation, and data each SmartOps use case needs, from sensor accuracy and calibration to historian sampling and lab data. Before commissioning, audit the plant with site instrumentation and automation teams, check signals, tag mapping, and data availability, and support PID loop tuning and alarm optimization. Send validated changes to the owner of the CEMEX instrumentation catalog.

- Gap analysis and business cases: Rank gaps in sensors, actuators, analyzers, and data quality against SmartOps requirements. Build CAPEX or OPEX business cases with site teams and follow execution through field verification and acceptance.

Deployment and adoption

- Hands-on implementation: Work beside operators, engineers, and maintenance teams on walkdowns, measurements, commissioning, tuning, and troubleshooting. Use mass and heat balances, fan and duct assessments, and false air audits to separate process, control, instrumentation, and model limits. Stay through stabilization, verify results in the field, and close corrective actions after handover.

- Plant leadership: Lead and coach Production, Quality, and Plant Managers through agreed deployment plans. Secure owners, resources, and deadlines, resolve competing priorities, and escalate unresolved commitments to the SmartOps program lead. Plant management keeps daily operating and line management accountability.

- Governance and benefits: Run daily follow-up during commissioning and regular reviews after handover. Track adoption, closed-loop (autopilot) utilization, overrides, and production and quality stability. With plant teams and Finance, verify gains in specific heat and power, alternative fuel substitution, reagent use, and grinding media and refractory life, within emissions limits.

- Capability building: Train users from Plant Managers to control room operators, at the equipment and in the control room, and check that they can apply what they learned. Leave local owners, operating guidance, and support routines in place. As a PI and Seeq power user, build use cases and baselines that plant engineers can reuse.

- Deployment template: Package each deployment for the next plant (model specification, readiness checklist, acceptance criteria, training material) and turn recurring diagnostics into online tools.

Safety

- Safety outcomes: With Production, Quality, and Health and Safety teams, implement changes that reduce hazardous manual work and exposure to hot material, dust, and moving equipment, such as remote inspection, automated sampling, and steadier operation that cuts blockages and hot meal handling. Agree safety objectives before each trial and verify results with site Health and Safety, such as interventions avoided and exposure time reduced.

- Operating envelope: Define and validate operating constraints, equipment protection limits, and environmental boundaries for every model and control. Keep required interlocks and independent protections, set up operator override and safe fallback, and apply Management of Change (MoC) with site approval before release.

- Field safety: Follow local safety rules, CEMEX standards, and site procedures. Complete required training, wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and confirm risk assessments, permits, energy isolation, and competence before field tasks. Take part in safety committees and in near-miss and incident investigations linked to SmartOps work.

New technology pilots

- Technology pilots: When assigned, evaluate sensing, machine vision, robotics, or process technologies. Run plant trials against an agreed baseline, test vendor claims under operating conditions, and recommend scale-up or discontinuation from the measured results.

Qualifications

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Process, Mechanical, Industrial, or Control and Automation Engineering, or in Chemistry. An advanced degree is a plus.

- Experience: 8+ years in cement plant operations with hands-on work in both production and quality, including 3+ years accountable for kiln, raw mill, or cement mill production or quality results as Superintendent, Quality Manager, Process Manager, or above. Plant Production Manager experience is strongly preferred.

- Languages and travel: Fluent English and Spanish, spoken and written. Valid passport and US business visa, or able to obtain them before start.

Knowledge skills and abilities

- Production and quality credibility: Cement manufacturing experience across quality, operations, and maintenance, with the credibility to coach and challenge Production, Quality, and Plant Managers without line authority.

- Process diagnostics: Field process measurement, mass and heat balances, fan and false air assessments, and raw mix and clinker chemistry (LSF, moduli, clinker mineralogy, free lime). Able to lead RCA and turn findings into corrective actions.

- Models and APC: Plant-side owner of at least one Advanced Process Control (APC) or AI optimizer deployment on a kiln, mill, or raw mix: set its constraints, ran acceptance trials, and tracked utilization. Daily user of a process historian (PI System preferred) and DCS. Seeq and Python are a plus.

- Instrumentation and control: Practical experience with cement plant instrumentation (gas analyzers, kiln pyrometers, weigh feeders, cross-belt analyzers, and pressure, flow, and temperature transmitters), PID loop tuning, and minimum automation standards.

Working conditions and physical requirements

Working conditions

- Approximately 50% travel, mainly to US cement plants, for implementation, audits, trials, and follow-up. Assignments include sustained periods on site during commissioning and stabilization, with scheduled startup or shift support when required. When not traveling, works from the Monterrey offices supporting plants remotely.

- Exposure to heat, cold, noise, dust, and outdoor conditions during field work, with site controls and required PPE. Tobacco-free environment.

Physical requirements

- Walks plant areas and climbs stairs across multi-story structures, such as preheater towers, while carrying portable instruments; also sits for office and remote work. Medium work, as defined in the ADA worksheet below.

- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear in order to communicate with employees/visitors as well as function safely around heavy rolling equipment.

- Must be capable of working at heights and in confined spaces.

- Must pass physical screening, hearing test, and drug/alcohol screen.

CEMEX Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At CEMEX, we recognize the diversity of the world in which we live and in which we do business. We respect diversity, we address the inclusion and non-discrimination of any talented person, regardless of gender, physical ability, age, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, marital status, pregnancy / maternity / paternity, and nationality. We promote a culture of equity for the construction of a sustainable business and the well-being and development of CEMEX employees