Terrin Elam
Queen Creek,AZ
Summary
Cryogenic Plant Operator and Maintenance Technician with 4 years of United States Military training in varied fields of expertise including air separation (gas and cryogenic),air condition and refrigeration, hydraulic systems, conveyors, pumps and air compressor maintenance.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Operations Technician
LotusWorks
Chandler, AZ
05.2024 - 06.2025
- Monitored all gas delivery systems for safe and proper delivery to manufacturing plant.
- Properly handled and installed gas cylinders to include inert and toxic gases during change outs inside gas cabinets.
- Performed detailed maintenance on gas delivery systems to insure uninterrupted delivery to factory.
- Performed LOTO of entire gas systems up to factory tool in order to safely perform preventative and corrective maintenance.
- Conducted liquid and gas trailer change outs inside accordance with company SOP.
- Monitored cylinder pressure levels during shift via monitoring system and took proper actions to prevent run outs.
- Assisted in training new staff on equipment handling and safety protocols, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Conducted thorough root cause analyses for recurring issues, leading to long-term resolutions and minimized system disruptions.
Field Service Technician
Versum Materials
Chandler, AZ
10.2021 - 12.2022
- Supervise and monitor install of new equipment and explain operation and routine maintenance protocols to customers.
- Complete partial or full dismantling of equipment to quickly repair or replace defective components and restore functionality.
- Manage on-site and off-site installation, repair, maintenance and leak test .
- Follow safety procedures to avoid injuries in field.
- Commission UHP bulk gas systems.
- Perform ambient purifier change outs for bulk gases
- Perform gas to tool starts from VMB's.
- Conduct stick demo's in VMB's.
- Ensure proper LOTO procedures are followed.
Plant Operator
Air Products & Chemicals
Chandler, AZ
01.2021 - 10.2021
- Safely operate 6 air separation plants, 2 N2 liquefiers, and 4 HPN plants, 1 VSA, and pipeline systems.
- Monitor and adjust plant process conditions using various valves and operating equipment.
- Make process adjustments and to maximize plant efficiencies utilizing DCS controls.
- Maintain an electronic logbook of operation activities.
- Solve plant process upsets using various indicators and DCS trends.
- Calibrate/Operate multiple processes and pipeline analyzers.
- Handle daily routines to include water treatment, equipment inspection, and log sheet readings.
- Perform preventative maintenance tasks.
- Maintain online training program requirements.
- Issue safety work permits and performs lockout/tag out of various process equipment.
- Fill trailers and support the product load line
- Inspect all work areas on a continuous basis for any mechanical problems, safety hazards, and unusual operation conditions. Keep work and supply areas in a safe, clean, and orderly condition.
- Ensure that all plant safety procedures are followed.
- Attend and contribute to monthly safety meetings.
- Perform troubleshooting on equipment and make minor adjustments or, submit work requests to maintenance as required.
- Assist in reviewing and updating operating procedures as required.
Service Technician II
Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
Chandler, AZ
09.2018 - 02.2021
- Serviced ultra high purity equipment to ensure expedient repair and minimal downtime at customer sites.
- Performed maintenance duties and safely handle chemicals and gas cylinders.
- Inspected equipment to diagnose operational issues and make reports with solution to customer.
- Trained customers, employees, and managers on equipment use and maintenance.
- Assisted team members when necessary with emergency situations, troubleshooting, and diagnostics of cryogenic equipment.
- Maintained, repair and troubleshoot regulators, valves, pneumatics, purifiers, and cryogenic vessels.
- Made pressure adjustments on regulating valves providing industrial gases to customer factory.
- Monitored and assist with offloads of liquid hydrogen, helium, argon, and oxygen to cryogenic storage tanks.
- Utilized leakage detection equipment on all gaseous equipment and lines to ensure safe work environment.
- Performed routine inspection of pressure gauges and liquid level gauges for hydrogen, helium, oxygen and argon systems.
- Led and assisted contractors with the installation and overhaul of ultra high purity systems.
- Coordinated and supervised jobs and repairs conducted by contractors.
- Tracked and monitored preventative maintenance schedule utilizing a CMMS.
- Performed on-call duties for various customer sites.
- Performed gaseous nitrogen meter reads as requested.
Cryogenic Supervisor
United States Navy
San Diego, California
09.2017 - 09.2018
- Supervise the safe operation and maintenance of three air separation units with zero safety mishaps.
- Oversaw well-organized maintenance program for predictive and preventive actions.
- Scheduled and assign maintenance to plant personnel utilizing SKED 3.2.
- Trained and qualified all current and new plant operators in the safe operation and understanding of plant functions.
- Ensure daily production goals are met to support all customer demands while maintaining plant purity and efficiency.
- Forecast parts, tools, and hazmat needed to perform all upcoming maintenance on a quarterly basis.
- Ensure that all shipboard and plant safety policies are being followed.
- Maintain records of all logs recorded and all purity samples taken.
- Perform trend analysis on all running equipment and make reports to management.
- Collaborated with other leaders and executives to direct workflow and support operations.
- Implemented policies and standard operating procedures for continuous improvement.
- Recorded gas volumes and processed analyzer readings.
- Supervised allocation of plant resources, equipment usage and supply controls.
- Led inspections to assess operational functioning and safety of plant-wide equipment and processes.
Quality Assurance Inspector
United States Navy
San Diego, California
05.2016 - 09.2018
- Ensured all Quality Assurance forms associated with maintenance being completed are properly filled out and legible.
- Ensured all personnel are properly trained and qualified, if required, prior to assignment requiring QA or special cleanliness certifications (e.g., oxygen, reactor plant or steam plant).
- Conducted in depth Quality Assurance training at the departmental level.
- Ensured all tools, measuring and test equipment used during maintenance and test are of proper range, scale and in calibration.
- Ensured all oxygen clean parts and materials are kept in an O2 clean locker separated from any non O2 clean parts and maintained in a proper log book.
- Performed receipt inspections of controlled material and oxygen clean material.
- Conducted final inspections during maintenance or repairs for systems requiring cleanliness controls (e.g. oxygen, reactor plant or steam plant).
- Referred to company quality assurance manual for all situations beyond the normal scope.
- Oversaw maintenance, calibration, and control of inspection, measuring, and all test equipment.
- Compared colors, shapes, textures, and grades of products and materials with color charts, templates, or samples to verify conformance to standards.
- Maintained calibration records and vendor certifications.
Cryogenic Technician
United States Navy
San Diego, California
06.2015 - 09.2018
- Performed safe start-up and shut-down of air separation plants to conform with operating conditions and customer needs in accordance with company procedures.
- Manipulated air separation plant controls to maintain product specifications of 98% purity for liquid oxygen and 99.5% purity for liquid nitrogen while meeting production goals.
- Troubleshoot plant interruptions and take corrective actions to maintain production goals.
- Took hourly production and purity readings.
- Perform preventive and Corrective maintenance on air separation plant to insure peek operational readiness.
- Presented ideas to department in efforts to assist in achieving maximum production goals.
- Maintained two 1500 gallon cryogenic storage tanks and all associated cryogenic equipment.
- Took weekly oxygen purity samples in accordance with company policy to conform with company regulations.
- Conducted highly skilled preventive and corrective maintenance on Liquid oxygen and nitrogen tanks, pumps and valves associated with proper storage.
- Performed skilled preventive and corrective maintenance on a low pressure air compressor (CAP-16) to insure oil free, moisture free 90 psi air is provided to the air separation plant.
- Performed liquid oxygen and nitrogen transfers from storage tanks.
- Filled oxygen and nitrogen bottles to max pressures of 3500 psi.
- Adhered to EPA and OSHA regulations.
- Monitored recording instruments, flow meters and panel lights to listen for warning signals.
- Processed and analyzed test results for chemical mixtures to promote high-quality yield and took appropriate actions to correct undesirable results.
- Managed available parts, tools and materials inventory to maintain prompt response capability.
Machinist Mate
United States Navy
San Diego, California
09.2014 - 09.2018
- Performed preventive and corrective maintenance on hand valves, relief valves, solenoid valves, pressure transducers, pressure regulators and reducing manifolds.
- Monitored air conditioning and refrigeration units such as pumps, expansion tanks, chillers, receivers, condensers, and compressors to assist in 100% mission readiness.
- EPA type II certified technician qualified to handle refrigerant for low pressure systems.
- Maintained a gauge calibration program with over 160 gauges at or above 98% readiness at all times.
- Conducted preventive and corrective maintenance on pumps, vacuum pumps, vaporizer's, compressors and heaters.
- Interpreted complex high and low pressure air system drawings.
- Perform tag-out/ lock-out when required for preventive and corrective maintenance.
- Troubleshot and investigated auxiliary steam leaks, industrial water heaters, washers and dryers using in depth drawings and technical manuals to isolate and or locate the problem.
- Performed preventive and corrective maintenance on conveyor systems.
- Maintained hydraulic equipment such as elevators, steering units, anchor units and winches in support of mission readiness.
- Properly handled and disposed of hazardous materials in accordance with departmental and organizational policy.
- Assisted in the overhaul and repair of heat exchangers, centrifugal and reciprocating compressors, as well as coolant water pumps.
- Utilized precision measuring tools during installation of pumps and compressor.
- Assessed operating conditions and adjusted settings to maximize performance and equipment longevity.
- Managed available parts, tools and materials inventory to maintain prompt response capability.
- Documented machine irregularities and completed repairs.
- Used problem-solving skills to alleviate issues efficiently with minimal supervision and contacted Auxiliary Technical Officer of problems requiring outside resolution.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Management
University of Phoenix
Tempe, AZ09.2020
Certification - Cryogenic Technician
Naval Surface Warfare School
Portsmouth, Virginia06.2015
High School Diploma -
McClintock High School
Tempe, Arizona2010
Skills
- Advanced critical thinking
- Technical problem-solving
- Quick learner
- Gas plant knowledge
- Complex problem solving
- Process improvements
- Excellent PC computer skills
- Team player
- Quality assurance expert
- Schematic diagram interpretation
- Hand/power tools
- Oxygen clean worker
Accomplishments & Awards
- Received United States military Good Conduct award for 3 consecutive years of faithful, zealous, and obedient naval service.
- Received Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal for making emergent repairs to a low pressure air compressor vital to the operation of the air separation plant, minimizing down time during 2017-2018 deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve .
- Chosen from over 4800 sailors, received honors as sailor of the week for the command on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt for the week of January 5th, 2018.
- At the divisional level chosen from 68 sailors as auxiliary division Machinist Mate of the week for the week of 31 October 2017.
Timeline
Operations Technician
LotusWorks
05.2024 - 06.2025
Field Service Technician
Versum Materials
10.2021 - 12.2022
Plant Operator
Air Products & Chemicals
01.2021 - 10.2021
Service Technician II
Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
09.2018 - 02.2021
Cryogenic Supervisor
United States Navy
09.2017 - 09.2018
Quality Assurance Inspector
United States Navy
05.2016 - 09.2018
Cryogenic Technician
United States Navy
06.2015 - 09.2018
Machinist Mate
United States Navy
09.2014 - 09.2018
High School Diploma -
McClintock High School
Bachelor of Science - Management
University of Phoenix
Certification - Cryogenic Technician
Naval Surface Warfare School