Do you think there is potential for a rewarding technical career in a refinery? I would not mind staying in same position for years to build experience. Heard that with new principal engineer position in the refineries it is possible to reach high cl levels up to 29 by end of career. Looking for real information not just negativity - is being senior site technical person not a good option for someone who enjoys technical works and doesn't mind not moving.
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The one that is best is the one you have connections to management.
Downstream very political and cutthroat.
You go into a group with no allies and you are the PIP quota for that year and the Supervisor does not have to get rid of any of his long term friends.
Rewarding career is call PIP
For technical career, between refinery and plastics plant, which one is better?
Sure you can reach CL29 as department head in refinery, but that’s only as a transitional position for a hipo just passing through. Not going to happen for stationary technical career.
That’s just not true. You can be a a CL29 as a DH at a major complex site.
CL-27 is the highest rank in a refinery or chemical plant unless you are the refinery manager, the Operations Manager, or the Technical Manager.
@2uwf+1uQPsLLP
We who work at exxon know the truth about engineering and innovation at exxon. Technical is dead and exxon only rewards supervisors and clueless leaders. Hone your skills and use them to sell your talents and experience to the service companies or others.
Please do go see your nearest physician to check for STD.
Clearly @2uwf+1uQPsLLP is spewing out company propaganda.
Yes, it’s possible to reach 28+. There are criteria for those levels. If you rigidly follow them, then no, you can’t just stick to pure “technical” skills to move up to the top levels. But then again, I’ve seen some 29+ who are not technical nor have done anything of a technical nature in years. These have sponsors who helped to push them along.
Most of the information I see on here is either outdated or written by someone not currently working in career development at a manufacturing site. You can absolutely reach principal engineer status by staying at a manufacturing site and soaking in roles longer. This is easier at a major gulf coast site where there are multiple facilities to rotate between throughout your career. Whoever said “there is no more engineering to do” just repeated a catchy phrase they read on the internet or heard from a bitter employee. I could go on for hours about the engineering that needs to be done to keep optimizing and helping the site run better. Don’t let the cynics dissuade you. Yes you have the potential to reach CL 28+. It’s true that this is a very competitive pool. Don’t tie your self worth to an assessment result.
If that technical work can be done without walking out on the unit, that job will go to India.
Also, consider that a lot of technical work will move to India over the next 5 years. Don't be under the illusion that you need to be located at site to provide technical expertise
Op, you can do that and have good life, short hours at work. Key is you have to be actually good technically, good people skills and be submissive to your young boss. You will be ranked in lower middle, no stress and leave early to spend time with family. This is actually a very good path at exxon
OP I'm going to repeat what's been said already. The answer is an ABSOLUTELY NO. First, this is a commodity business so most technologies are already developed to the point where there's almost no more engineering to do. Refineries have been around for decades. And if there's any new engineering to be done Exxon won't develop it. Darren's strategy is to develop nothing at Exxon. Just go to the market, buy it and have a third party deploy it. Exxon engineers, the very few we still have, just fill out the paperwork. And reaching a CL of 29 doing technical work is impossible. You have to play the game, that means go to La Quinta with your manager and your manager's manager. I hope I'm clear. What you propose is dilutional at Exxon today. But good luck if you're going to try.
@OP All you’re going to be doing is staring at data and managing the third-party contractors who do the actual work.
If you want a rewarding technical career then go somewhere where they actually design and build things.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but you will peak out at 27 if you never leave site......
EMTEC principal's @ 28
GTS's @ 29
In short, there is no reward solely on technical.
Not moving around is a recipe for being PIPd. This company no longer values technical people. Never really has but they used to at least pretend. If you are high CL as a technical person it just means they use you to fill the bottom of the tank group. If you want to be technical go work elsewhere.
You will not be able to reach 28+ by only focusing on technical work . You need business acumen and a number skills.
Ultimately, you have to be happy with what you do. So worry less about title and ranking, and focus more on acquiring skills that’s future proof.
Keep in mind that your career is not your own at XOM. Your career trajectory and potential is pre-determined. They will shove you into a job based on “business needs” and chance of making to Principal engineer is slim.
Yes there is potential, there is also potential for winning the powerball lottery.
If you have to ask about the potential for principal engineer position, it is not you, sorry for bringing you back to reality.
OP, yes, it's possible, but quite frankly I don't see someone that says "I would not mind staying in same position for years to build experience" getting to where you wish/deserve. This is a game for big fat rats, not honest people. You can be a 29, if you play golf with'em, if you're wife spends time with theirs, if you attend the same places, events, if you're the top United Way "actor" at your site. It's a rigged game, but it's still a game. Up to you to decide if you're playing or not.
that is fine and can be a good plan. note that you will be ranked with high fliers so be prepared for low ranking and low raises. correspondingly slow rate of promotion
CL 28 at best, 29 would be a dream