Principal Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal Designer

Company: CECO Environmental

Location: Houston, Texas, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Engineering Design & Operations

Date Posted: June 3, 2026

Experience Level: 15+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design and development of complex mechanical equipment and systems, with a primary focus on FCC (Fluid Catalytic Cracking) units, pressure vessels, and related process units within the refining and petrochemical industries.

• Drive the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of design standards, policies, and procedures to ensure consistency and quality across all projects.

• Champion continuous improvement initiatives, focusing on automating and streamlining workflows to enhance team efficiency, reduce errors, and optimize man-hour utilization.

• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and training to design team members, promoting best practices in modeling, documentation, and design execution.

• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and project management teams to ensure successful project delivery from concept to completion.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Principal Designer, indicating a senior-level individual contributor with significant technical expertise and leadership responsibilities. The emphasis on FCC units, pressure vessels, and process systems within refining and petrochemical industries points towards a specialized engineering design function critical to CECO Environmental's Emtrol-Buell brand, which focuses on energy transition solutions. The role demands not only design proficiency but also strategic input on process improvement and team development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal designer, responsible for the creation and oversight of mechanical drawings and 3D models using advanced CAD software such as AutoCAD and Inventor.

• Design proprietary and non-proprietary equipment tailored for FCC units, pressure vessels, and complex process systems, specifically for refining and petrochemical applications.

• Lead the conceptualization and execution of complex, large-scale design projects, ensuring adherence to budget constraints and project timelines.

• Conduct thorough reviews of drawings produced by other drafters, verifying alignment with project scoping requirements and corporate drafting standards.

• Contribute to the preparation of essential engineering documents and perform necessary calculations to support design integrity.

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust design standards, policies, and procedures that govern the design process across the organization.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing design efficiency, minimizing errors, and optimizing man-hour allocation for design tasks.

• Identify opportunities to automate and streamline design workflows, thereby improving overall team productivity and output quality.

• Provide expert technical guidance, comprehensive training, and effective mentorship to junior and mid-level design team members.

• Promote and enforce best practices in 3D modeling, technical documentation, and overall design execution methodology.

• Support the performance improvement and skill development of the design team through targeted training and guidance.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, and project management teams to define essential functions and critical deadlines for successful project execution.

• Engage proactively with project stakeholders to accurately understand requirements, provide regular progress updates, and ensure stakeholder expectations are consistently met.

• Deliver clear and compelling technical presentations, effectively communicating complex design concepts to diverse audiences.

• Participate in and lead critical project reviews, design approval sessions, and stakeholder presentations.

• Conduct site visits to verify equipment installation, assess performance, and ensure compliance with design specifications and operational requirements.

• Ensure that all designs are aligned with fabrication capabilities and meet stringent operational requirements.

• Oversee inspection activities, coordinating with third-party inspectors and agencies to guarantee compliance with industry standards and project specifications.

• Provide essential support for troubleshooting and resolving field issues that may arise during installation or operation.

• Perform equipment inspections at refinery sites or during pre-turnaround assembly, and issue clear rework/repair instructions as needed to meet customer and compliance requirements.

• Lead and actively contribute to research and development (R&D) initiatives focused on enhancing design capabilities and product offerings.

• Support innovation in areas such as process improvement, sustainability initiatives, and the adoption of advanced design technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are extensive, covering technical design leadership, process improvement, team mentorship, cross-functional collaboration, project execution, fabrication support, and R&D. This clearly defines a senior role expected to influence design strategy and execution across multiple projects and potentially within the broader Emtrol-Buell brand. The focus on FCC