Employee Profile

“The most rewarding thing about my job is ensuring that our plant assets are in good condition. I am one of a few people in the site that has the means and the knowledge to back it up with quality information.”

In November 2014, I had to perform a round of internal inspections inside process tanks with an inspector from an external company. This was the first time this inspector worked for Cargill and I was proud of all the means and support put in place from EHS for him to carry out work safely in the confined space. I received compliments from him in this regard. In addition, I had to postpone one inspection because not enough safe conditions were provided and did not doubt it for a moment. This can only happen when you feel you have support from management on your decisions, provided they are taken according to the correct values, which in this case is “safety comes first”.

Describe your work responsibilities and the importance of your role.

I am responsible for the good health of the plant assets. In my case, I am responsible for the Plant Lubrication program and for all the Predictive Maintenance work carried out in the plant. This includes vibration analysis, thermography and Ultrasound inspections, as well as mechanical integrity assessments and other Non-Destructive Tests. Assuring good asset health and maximum reliable availability of the assets in production is the main goal of my role

Describe your day-to-day activities and the skills needed to perform well.

I begin the day reviewing urgent lubrication or mechanical work that may fall within my field of action, which is before the asset stops to provide its function. After that, I follow up on the weekly lubrication schedule and on the rest of the assets that, via either of the predictive techniques, are in bad condition. On those, I make a decision on whether to interrupt their operation for maintenance intervention or to continue monitoring them closely. Once done, I spend time on Root Cause Analysis investigations for past failures that had impact on production schedules.

Describe your career path. Where did you start and how did you get to where you are today?

I started in June 2011 as a Technical Management Trainee (TMT). I spent one year as such in a production department learning the process, performing simple process development studies, and working in shifts for 8 months. After this first year, the plant management offered me the opportunity to join the reliability department as a Mechanical Reliability Engineer, where there was a vacancy. I accepted and to date I have been performing this role in the plant.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

The most rewarding thing about my job is ensuring that our plant assets are in good condition. I am one of a few people in the site that has the means and the knowledge to back it up with quality information.

Why did you choose to join Cargill and what keeps you here? In other words, how has a career at Cargill helped you to thrive?

Despite Cargill being a very reserved company (for obvious business reasons), what you encounter from the very first interview is the Cargill Leadership Model. Cargill is proud of showing it and asking potential candidates whether they fit within it. This gives a clear idea that people development is important for the company, and behaviors and not only results are important when it comes to performance management. In my view, a company that shows this kind of commitment to their employees is one that is worth it working for.

What advice would you give someone interested in a career at Cargill like yours?

My advice is to join the company if you are interested in a long-lasting career working for the same company. In my view, this is what the company seeks for when selecting people for technical roles, which is my case. In addition, you have to bear clearly in mind that both behaviors and results are very important for the company. If you as a potential employee don’t have this mindset, it is better to look for job elsewhere.

Share an interesting tidbit about yourself such as hobbies, volunteerism, favorite foods or activities, accomplishments inside or outside of work.

One of my favorite hobbies is sailing. I have been doing it since I was a kid and kept doing it when I moved to Barcelona when I joined Cargill. Apart from this, I really enjoy travelling and each year I try to do a 2/3-week trip to foreign countries. I really enjoy learning and dealing with people from other cultures.