Lead Environmental Technician; LDAR

Lead Environmental Monitoring & Mitigation (EMM) Technician

(Also known as:
Lead LDAR Technician, Senior LDAR Technician, LDAR Field Lead, Environmental Compliance Lead – LDAR, Air Quality Technician – LDAR)

Location: Norco, LA (Refinery / Chemical Plant Environment)

PROtect, LLC is seeking an experienced individual to join our team as a Lead Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation (EMM) Technician / Lead LDAR Technician
. The Lead Technician plays a key role in field operations, overseeing Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR), air quality, and environmental compliance programs designed to minimize fugitive VOC and HAP emissions in compliance with EPA and refinery regulations.

The Lead Technician will be responsible for supervising and training LDAR Apprentices, Environmental Technicians, and Level II LDAR Technicians in the field, ensuring work is completed safely, accurately, and efficiently. This role will work closely with site management, refinery operations, maintenance, and project leadership to plan, execute, and document LDAR monitoring, audits, and compliance activities.

• Reporting all incidents, injuries, near misses, motor vehicle or any other unsafe condition or acts to supervisor and the Safety Department regardless of how minor they are.
• Responsible for LDAR monitoring and air emissions monitoring components in an industrial environment to detect emissions from process equipment using a portable analyzer and electronic data collector.
• Ability to lead a small team to perform LDAR monitoring activities for an assigned route with an allotted amount of time, ensuring all leak interfaces are accurately monitored and reported. Average expected monitoring rate on a route is 250–300 components per day.
• Responsible for team competency in FID/PID analyzers, Method 21 monitoring, and basic tablet usage and troubleshooting.
• Advancing team’s ability to learn, read, and understand P&IDs, refinery drawings, and process equipment.
• Responsible for their team calibrating equipment to ensure optimum performance. Makes minor mechanical adjustments when situations arise. Develops advanced understanding of calibration regulatory requirements, equipment, gas management, and repair.
• Includes responsibility for portions of large Client Launch, Startup, and LDAR Audit Projects.
• Ensures team is completing daily upload of monitoring activity to the customer database and completes daily emissions monitoring reports.
• Able to review work of others and identify gaps in LDAR compliance and data quality.
• Ability to perform LDAR Audits and QA/QC reviews.
• Communicating daily leaks or potential issues with site operations and maintenance personnel.
• Communicating and coordinating with all levels of plant, refinery, and client personnel.
• Performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• Must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED.
• 5+ years of LDAR, environmental monitoring, air quality, or refinery/chemical plant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Basic PC skills with emphasis on MS Office (Word, Excel) and electronic data collection systems.

• Strong experience working in chemical plants or refineries is required (Norco / River Parishes / Gulf Coast experience strongly preferred).
• Basic knowledge across 3–5 industries with expanded knowledge of air quality regulations, LDAR programs, EPA Method 21, refinery operations, and environmental reporting.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrates initiative, planning work independently, mentoring junior LDAR technicians, and preparing for operational challenges.
• Ability to analyze data, evaluate situations, and identify compliance issues or improvement opportunities.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize work in a fast-paced refinery turnaround / plant operations environment.
• Safety-oriented mindset with commitment to personal and team safety. Must be willing and able to wear respiratory protection for extended periods.
• Reliable transportation required. Willingness to work extended hours,…