Process Design Engineer ATS Checklist — Pass Every Screen

ATS Optimization Checklist for Process Design Engineer

The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies process engineers under chemical engineers (SOC 17-2041), projecting 8% employment growth through 2034 with approximately 2,300 annual openings—and under industrial engineers (SOC 17-2112), which projects 11% growth with 25,200 annual openings. Process design engineers straddle both classifications, working in petrochemical refineries, pharmaceutical manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication, food and beverage processing, and specialty chemicals. With engineering applications regularly exceeding 1,500 per posting at major employers like ExxonMobil, Dow, BASF, and Bechtel, automated screening is the first gate. Industry data shows 43% of resume rejections result from formatting errors, not lack of qualifications. For process design engineers whose daily work involves Aspen HYSYS, HAZOP studies, and P&ID development, this guide provides the exact ATS keywords, formatting specifications, and section strategies needed to pass every automated screen.

Key Takeaways

• Process simulation software names are hard ATS filters—"Aspen HYSYS," "Aspen Plus," "PRO/II," and "CHEMCAD" are specific keyword matches that "process simulation" will never trigger.
• Safety and risk analysis keywords are critical: HAZOP, LOPA, SIL, PSM, and PHA appear in virtually every process design engineering job description.
• ASME and API standards are ATS goldmines: ASME B31.3, API 520/521, API 650, and API 610 appear as required knowledge in refinery and chemical plant postings.
• Quantified design outcomes—throughput improvements, yield increases, energy savings, capital cost reductions, and unit capacity expansions—score dramatically higher than generic descriptions.
• PE licensure is important for process engineers at EPC firms and owner-operators where stamped calculations are required.
• Single-column .docx format with standard section headers maximizes parse accuracy across all ATS platforms.

How ATS Systems Screen Process Design Engineer Resumes

Process design engineers are hired by EPC contractors (Bechtel, Fluor, Worley, Wood PLC, McDermott), owner-operators (ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, Dow, BASF, LyondellBasell), specialty engineering firms (Jacobs, KBR), pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Merck, Novartis), and semiconductor manufacturers (TSMC, Intel, Samsung). ATS platform selection varies by employer size and sector.

Platform Distribution: Major oil and gas companies and EPC firms use Workday (ExxonMobil, Bechtel) or Taleo/Oracle Recruiting (Shell, Fluor). Chemical and pharmaceutical companies favor iCIMS and SuccessFactors. Smaller engineering firms use Greenhouse or Lever.

Keyword Extraction: The ATS parses your resume and searches for matches against the job description. For a posting requiring "Aspen HYSYS," "HAZOP facilitation," and "P&ID development," the system needs these exact phrases in your resume.

Section-Weighted Scoring: Keywords in the Professional Summary and Technical Skills sections receive higher ATS weighting than those deep in mid-career bullet points.

Hard Knockout Filters: Common filters for process design engineer postings include PE license, specific simulation tool ("Aspen HYSYS required"), OSHA PSM experience, and sometimes API certification. Missing any of these explicitly results in automatic rejection.

Must-Have ATS Keywords for Process Design Engineer

Process Simulation Software

Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Plus, PRO/II (SimSci), CHEMCAD, SuperPro Designer, VMGSim, HTRI (Heat Exchanger Design), AFT Fathom (Pipe Flow), AFT Arrow (Compressible Flow), Aspen Flare System Analyzer, PIPESIM, OLGA (Multiphase Flow), gPROMS (Process Modeling)

Process Design Deliverables

Process Flow Diagram (PFD), Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID), Heat and Material Balance (H&MB), Equipment Sizing, Equipment Datasheet, Line Sizing, Hydraulic Calculations, Pressure Drop Calculations, Vessel Sizing, Column Sizing, Heat Exchanger Sizing, Pump Sizing, Compressor Sizing, Flare System Design, Relief Valve Sizing

Standards and Codes

ASME B31.3 (Process Piping), ASME Section VIII (Pressure Vessels), API 520/521 (Relief Systems), API 650 (Aboveground Storage Tanks), API 610 (Centrifugal Pumps), API 660 (Heat Exchangers), API 2000 (Tank Venting), NFPA 30 (Flammable Liquids), TEMA Standards (Heat Exchangers), ISA-84 (Safety Instrumented Systems), IEC 61511 (SIS)

Safety and Risk Analysis

Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP), Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), Safety Integrity Level (SIL), Bow-Tie Analysis, What-If Analysis, OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM), EPA Risk Management Plan (RMP), Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA), Consequence Modeling, Dispersion Modeling, PHAST (DNV)

Process Engineering Concepts

Distillation Design, Absorption/Stripping, Reaction Engineering, Catalyst Design, Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Phase Equilibria, Unit Operations, Batch Processing, Continuous Processing, Utility Systems (Steam, Cooling Water, Instrument Air), Debottlenecking, Energy Integration (Pinch Analysis), Process Optimization

Resume Format That Passes ATS Screening

File Type: .docx for maximum parse accuracy. Only use PDF if the application portal explicitly requires it.

Layout: Single-column format. Process design engineers sometimes include P&ID excerpts or process flow diagrams—these break ATS parsing.

Fonts: Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman at 10-12pt.

Section Headers: - Professional Summary - Professional Experience - Education - Licenses and Certifications - Technical Skills - Key Projects (optional—useful for listing major capital projects)

Avoid: P&IDs, process diagrams, flowcharts, tables, text boxes, multi-column layouts, and information in headers/footers.

Section-by-Section ATS Optimization

Professional Summary

Front-load with title, PE status, years of experience, industry sector, and primary simulation tools.

Example: "Process Design Engineer (PE) with 11 years of experience in petrochemical and gas processing facility design. Expert in Aspen HYSYS, HTRI, and AFT Fathom with deep knowledge of ASME B31.3, API 520/521, and HAZOP facilitation. Led front-end engineering design (FEED) for $280M ethylene unit expansion, increasing throughput by 35%. Proficient in P&ID development, equipment sizing, and OSHA PSM compliance."

Work Experience

Formula: Action Verb + Tool/Standard + Quantified Outcome.

Example Bullets: - "Performed process simulation for 150,000 BPD crude distillation unit revamp using Aspen HYSYS, optimizing reflux ratios and stripping steam rates to increase light naphtha yield by 4.2% while reducing energy consumption by 12%, delivering $8.5M in annual operating savings." - "Sized and specified 42 equipment items (columns, heat exchangers, vessels, pumps) per ASME and API standards for $180M gas processing plant FEED, developing equipment datasheets and P&IDs that achieved 97% comment-free client review." - "Facilitated 6 HAZOP studies covering 14 process nodes per OSHA PSM (29 CFR 1910.119), identifying 128 recommendations and performing LOPA for 18 high-consequence scenarios to determine SIL requirements per ISA-84."

Education

Format: "B.S. in Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 2013 — ABET Accredited, Process Engineering Focus"

Include graduate work if applicable: "M.S. in Chemical Engineering, MIT, 2015 — Thesis: Optimization of Distillation Column Sequences Using Pinch Analysis"

Licenses and Certifications

• Professional Engineer (PE), Chemical — Texas Board, License #XXXXX, 2019
• Engineer in Training (EIT) / Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) — Texas, 2013
• Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE) — TUV Rheinland, 2022
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry — 2021

Technical Skills

• Simulation: Aspen HYSYS V14, Aspen Plus, HTRI Xchanger Suite, AFT Fathom, AFT Arrow
• Design Tools: SmartPlant P&ID, AutoCAD P&ID, MathCAD, Excel/VBA
• Standards: ASME B31.3, ASME Sec. VIII, API 520/521, API 650, API 610, TEMA
• Safety: HAZOP, LOPA, SIL, PHA, PSM (29 CFR 1910.119), PHAST
• Disciplines: Distillation, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Reaction Engineering, Pinch Analysis

Common ATS Rejection Reasons

1. Simulation software not specified: "Process simulation experience" does not match "Aspen HYSYS" or "Aspen Plus." Always list the exact product.

2. Missing safety analysis keywords: HAZOP, LOPA, SIL, and PSM appear in nearly every process design engineer posting. Omitting these creates a critical keyword gap.

3. Standards referenced generically: "Designed per applicable codes" does not match "ASME B31.3" or "API 520." Specify every standard by its exact designation.

4. P&ID and PFD not explicitly mentioned: These deliverables are fundamental to the role. Job descriptions universally include them, and your resume must match.

5. No quantified process outcomes: "Optimized distillation column" is meaningless. "Increased C3 splitter overhead purity from 99.1% to 99.6% while reducing reflux ratio by 15%, saving $2.3M annually in reboiler energy" contains multiple scorable data points.

6. PE license omitted: For EPC firms and owner-operators where stamped calculations are required, PE licensure is a hard knockout filter.

7. FEED/EPC phase experience not stated: Process design engineer postings often specify the project phase (Conceptual, FEED, Detailed Design, EPC). Clearly state which phases you have worked in.

Before-and-After Resume Examples

Example 1: Generic vs. Tool-Specific

Before: "Performed process simulations for refinery projects."

After: "Performed steady-state and dynamic process simulation in Aspen HYSYS for 100,000 BPD FCC unit revamp, modeling reactor-regenerator, main fractionator, and gas concentration unit—identifying heat integration opportunities that reduced utility consumption by $3.6M annually through pinch analysis optimization."

Example 2: Task-Oriented vs. Impact-Oriented

Before: "Responsible for equipment sizing and specification."

After: "Sized and specified 28 shell-and-tube heat exchangers using HTRI Xchanger Suite per TEMA and API 660 standards for $120M amine treating unit, achieving 100% thermal duty compliance at hydrotesting with average overdesign factor of 12%, minimizing capital cost while ensuring operational flexibility."

Example 3: Safety Generic vs. Safety Specific

Before: "Participated in safety reviews for process units."

After: "Facilitated 4 HAZOP studies per OSHA PSM (29 CFR 1910.119) for 85,000 BPD hydrocracker unit covering 22 process nodes, identifying 94 action items and performing LOPA on 12 high-consequence scenarios—3 required SIL 2 safety instrumented functions per ISA-84/IEC 61511, which were specified and integrated into the SIS design basis."

Tools and Certification Formatting

Professional Engineer (PE) License — Chemical

Format: "Professional Engineer (PE), Chemical — [State] Board, License #[Number], [Year]"

PE licensure demonstrates competence to seal process engineering calculations and is a hard filter at EPC firms, owner-operators, and regulatory-facing roles.

Fundamentals of Engineering (FE/EIT)

Format: "Engineer in Training (EIT) / Fundamentals of Engineering (FE), Chemical — [State] Board, [Year]"

Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE)

For safety system design roles: "Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE) — TUV Rheinland, [Year]"

This certification is increasingly valued for process engineers involved in SIS/SIL determination.

API Certifications

For refinery and pipeline roles: - API 510 (Pressure Vessel Inspector) - API 570 (Piping Inspector) - API 580 (Risk-Based Inspection)

Format: "API 510 Certified Pressure Vessel Inspector — American Petroleum Institute, [Year]"

Simulation Software Versions

Include version numbers: - Aspen HYSYS V14 (not just "HYSYS") - HTRI Xchanger Suite 9 - AFT Fathom 13

ATS Optimization Checklist

• [ ] Resume saved as .docx, single-column layout, no tables/graphics/P&ID excerpts
• [ ] Contact information in document body, not header/footer
• [ ] Standard section headers: Professional Summary, Professional Experience, Education, Licenses, Technical Skills
• [ ] PE license prominently displayed with state, discipline (Chemical), license number, and year
• [ ] Professional Summary includes title, PE status, years, industry sector, and primary simulation tools
• [ ] All simulation software listed by exact product name (Aspen HYSYS, HTRI, AFT Fathom, PRO/II)
• [ ] Safety analysis methods named specifically (HAZOP, LOPA, SIL, PHA, PSM)
• [ ] ASME, API, and TEMA standards referenced by exact designation (ASME B31.3, API 520/521, API 650)
• [ ] Deliverables explicitly named (PFD, P&ID, H&MB, equipment datasheets, line sizing)
• [ ] Every bullet includes quantified outcomes (throughput increases, yield improvements, energy savings, capital costs)
• [ ] Project phase stated (Conceptual, FEED, Detailed Design, EPC, Commissioning)
• [ ] Unit operations named specifically (distillation, reaction, absorption, heat exchange, compression)
• [ ] Both full terms and abbreviations included: "Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)," "Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)"
• [ ] File named: FirstName_LastName_Process_Design_Engineer_Resume.docx
• [ ] Resume tested through ATS parser to verify correct section mapping

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I list both Aspen HYSYS and Aspen Plus on my resume?

Yes. They are distinct products for different applications (HYSYS for oil and gas/dynamic simulation, Aspen Plus for chemical/pharmaceutical steady-state). Each is a separate keyword match. If you are proficient in both, list both with version numbers. If a posting specifies one, ensure that exact product name appears. Also include related AspenTech products you have used: Aspen Flare System Analyzer, Aspen Capital Cost Estimator (ACCE), and Aspen Economic Evaluation.

How important is HAZOP experience for process design engineer ATS screening?

Critical. HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study) is one of the most commonly required keywords in process design engineering job descriptions, especially at EPC firms and owner-operators subject to OSHA PSM. Postings typically differentiate between "HAZOP participation" and "HAZOP facilitation/leadership"—if you have led HAZOP studies, use the word "facilitated" rather than "participated in." Also include related safety analysis terms: LOPA, SIL, PHA, What-If, and Bow-Tie.

What is the best way to describe P&ID development experience for ATS?

Use the exact terms: "Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)" and the specific tool you used ("SmartPlant P&ID," "AutoCAD P&ID," or "Hexagon P&ID"). Quantify your P&ID work: number of P&IDs developed or reviewed, number of process nodes, and project scale. Also reference the associated standards review: "P&ID development per ISA-5.1 instrumentation symbols and PIP conventions."

Do I need API certifications on my resume for process design roles?

API certifications (510, 570, 580) are more commonly associated with inspection and integrity roles than pure design roles. However, if you hold them, list them—they add keyword matches and demonstrate breadth of knowledge. For process design engineers, the more impactful certifications are PE licensure, CFSE (for safety system design), and Six Sigma (for process optimization roles).

How should I handle experience across multiple project phases (FEED, Detailed Design, EPC)?

Explicitly state the project phase in each bullet. ATS systems match on phase keywords: "FEED," "front-end engineering design," "detailed engineering," "EPC," "commissioning and startup." Process design engineer postings often specify which phase the role covers. If you have experience across multiple phases, this is a significant differentiator. Structure bullets as: "Led process engineering for [project description] from FEED through detailed design and construction support, covering [specific deliverables]."