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Pilot Plant Operator

ECOLAB
life insurance, parental leave, 401(k), relocation assistance, employee discount
United States, Illinois, Chicago
Company Location (Show on map)
Jun 27, 2026

Ecolab, the leading global developer of premium cleaning, sanitizing and maintenance products and services for the hospitality, institutional andindustrialmarketsis seeking a Pilot Plant Operator! The Chicago pilot plant develops a wide variety of specialty chemicals for transfer to global manufacturing facilities. The Pilot Plant Operator prepares and operates reactors, blenders, and other equipment for conducting process development, research, or market development manufacturing in accordance with written and oral instructions given by pilot plant supervisors and engineers. The Pilot Plant Operator is also responsible for performing all necessary tasks and activities affecting the operations, safety, and housekeeping within the department. The work is non-routine and the individual must be versatile, adaptable, resourceful, and attentive to meet the demands of changing processes, procedures, and scales of operation.

What You Will Do:

  • Operate commonly used process equipment such as pumps, valves, motors, meters, filters, scales, and control panels

  • Execute all aspects of assigned experimental procedures

  • Collect data and samples as prescribed and makes observations of the process

  • Maintain specified logs, laboratory notebooks, and inventory

  • Perform in-process quality testing

  • Operate transporting equipment used to receive raw materials and transport products

  • Prepare and label drums, pails, totes, bags, and other containers for transport or storage of raw materials, intermediates, and products

  • Maintain clean, safe, and environmentally compliant work and storage areas including clean-up of equipment and work areas after completion of a procedure

  • Troubleshoot and repair minor problems and alert appropriate supervision to major repairs

  • Participate in physical inventory, safety meetings and inspections, and improvement initiatives

  • Operate a PC to perform various functions such as e-mail, inventory updates, and time keeping

  • Comply with all company safety, quality, and environmental policies

Position Details:

  • Plant Location: Clearing, IL Plant, Chicagoland area

  • Work week and shift: Monday- Thursday, 3:00 PM- 1:00 AM

Minimum Qualifications:

  • High School diploma or equivalent

  • 3 years Operator experience in the chemical industry

  • Knowledge of pumps, valves, motors, hand tools, and material handling equipment

  • Ability to use simple scientific instruments (such as pH meter) and record the results of operator tests on log sheets and other documents

  • No immigration sponsorship or relocation assistance is offered

Preferred Qualifications:

  • College-level courses in Chemistry

  • Ability to thrive in an ever-changing and dynamic, experimental environment

  • High attention to detail

  • Basic computer skills

Physical Demands:

  • Ability to move a minimum of 55 pounds

  • Ability to walk and stand for long hours (5+ hours)

  • Ability to wear and function in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including a full face respirator

Ecolab is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with a disability.

What's in it For You:

  • Starting on Day 1: Access to our comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, matching 401K, company-paid pension, stock purchase plan, paid parental leave, select discounted childcare resources, and more!

  • The opportunity to take on some of the world's most meaningful challenges, helping customers achieve clean water, safe food, and healthy environments

  • The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth

  • The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives, and ideas to achieve our best

About Ecolab:

At Ecolab, we prioritize our talent-first philosophy by creating the most capable and diverse team to excel at our nearly three million customer sites. Building on a century of innovation, our 48,000 associates help deliver comprehensive science-based solutions, data-driven insights and world-class service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, and optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, life sciences, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. Our solutions not only enhance operational efficiency but also contribute to sustainability and public health, making a positive impact on the world. We are committed to eliminating unnecessary complexities and embracing a beginner's mindset, continuously seeking new perspectives and innovative solutions to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world.

Annual or Hourly Compensation Range:

The pay rate for this job starts at $26.00 per hour. Many factors are taken into consideration when determining compensation, such as experience, education, training, geography, etc. We comply with all minimum wage and overtime laws.

Benefits

Ecolab provides the following benefits: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, pet insurance, identity theft protection, short-term and long-term disability, 401k, pension plans, retirement health care benefits, short-term incentives, vacation (12 days), holidays, parental leave, employee stock purchase plans(Full-Time Associates), discount on day care services and caregiver services, adoption assistance, group legal services, employee assistance program, employee discount program, and education assistance program,on-Site childcare and fitness facilities may be available at select Ecolab locations.Click herefor additional benefits information.If you are viewing this posting on a site other than our Ecolab Career website, view our benefits atjobs.ecolab.com/working-here.

Potential Customer Requirements Notice

To meet customer requirements and comply with local or state regulations, applicants for certain customer-facing roles may need to:

- Undergo additional background screens and/or drug/alcohol testing for customer credentialing.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Ecolab will provide reasonable accommodation (such as a qualified sign language interpreter or other personal assistance) with our application process upon request as required to comply with applicable laws. If you have a disability and require accommodation assistance in this application process, please visit the Recruiting Support link in the footer of each page of our career website.

Our Commitment to a Culture of Inclusion & Belonging

At Ecolab, we believe the best teams are inclusive. We are on a journey to create a workplace where every associate can grow and achieve their best. We are committed to fair and equal treatment of associates and applicants and recruit, hire, promote, transfer and provide opportunities for advancement based on individual qualifications and job performance. In all matters affecting employment, compensation, benefits, working conditions, and opportunities for advancement, we will not discriminate against any associate or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, or status as a covered veteran.

In addition, we are committed to furthering the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) through Affirmative Action (AA).

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.

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