Ammonia Refrigeration Engineer

Ammonia Refrigeration Engineer

Taprobane Seafoods (Pvt) Limited is looking for an experienced and hands-on Ammonia Refrigeration Engineer to take technical and operational ownership of our industrial-scale refrigeration and chiller plants.

Key Responsibilities

• Ammonia Plant Operations & Maintenance: Manage, operate, and troubleshoot large-scale industrial ammonia refrigeration systems, including screw compressors, evaporative condensers, low- and high-pressure receivers, and liquid recirculating packages.
• Process & Thermal Optimization: Monitor and optimize refrigeration efficiency, suction/discharge pressures, superheating/subcooling control, and defrost cycles across low-temperature cold rooms, blast freezers, and process chillers.
• Safety, Compliance & Emergency Response: Oversee ammonia gas detection systems, emergency ventilation, pressure relief valves, and adherence to local and international industrial safety codes (OSHA/PSM/ASHRAE 15).
• Preventive & Breakdown Management: Lead root-cause analysis (RCA) for mechanical or electrical breakdowns, schedule preventive maintenance (PM) programs, and manage overhauls of compressors and pumps.
• Project & Infrastructure Support: Collaborate with cross-functional engineering and project teams during facility expansions, equipment upgrades, energy-saving initiatives, or new installation commissioning.
• HACCP & Industry Standards: Ensure all refrigeration and chilling processes comply with food safety, HACCP, and hygiene standards relevant to the operating environment.

Technical Competencies

• In-depth knowledge of thermodynamic vapor-compression cycles specific to ammonia.
• Experience with PLC-based refrigeration control panels (e.g. Danfoss, Frick, Mycom, GEA, or similar industrial control systems).
• Strong understanding of oil management, purgers, water treatment for evaporative condensers, and pipework fabrication/insulation.
• Familiarity with statutory pressure vessel inspections and safety audits.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of dedicated, hands-on experience in the design, operation, and maintenance of industrial ammonia chiller and refrigeration systems.

Academic / Technical Qualifications:

• BSc in Mechanical / Chemical
• NDT (National Diploma in Technology - Mechanical)
• NDES (National Diploma in Engineering Sciences) / HND in Mechanical/Refrigeration Engineering
• German Tech (CGTTI - Ceylon German Technical Training Institute) qualification in relevant mechanical/refrigeration disciplines.

Industry Background:

• Proven working experience in FMCG, Cold Storage facilities, Breweries, or Seafood processing plants.

Location

Dankotuwa