Considering moving form Texas to Los Angeles area, question about job market (refineries/power plants)

[Gamezero]

Originally Posted by DriveNotCommute

Do you have to work in an oil related industry? My impression is that your skills should be transferable to chemical manufacturing and perhaps pharmaceuticals. Couldn't hurt to try, at least.

Spectrum Chemicals is a reputable maker and supplier of lab chemicals, I know many local labs buy from them. There seems to be a facility in Gardena but do not know how well they pay.

Pharma might be a bit harder to break into since they usually look for people who are familiar with the 21 CFRs, 200 series. It's not impossible because I know of manager/specialist-level people in that industry who made the transition from the oil industry in general, although granted it feels like they were usually engineers. Permanent positions at a good company should get you equivalent or better pay but not so if the company is a contract manufacturer or for temp positions anywhere. Wouldn't hurt to test a few companies and gauge their reactions to your resume.

You also might find more alternatives in the Bay Area, especially in the east bay.

Thanks, I'm open to anything available in the field of process operations. I've always kept the pharmaceutical industry in the back of my mind, but living in Texas, working in refineries/chemical plants always came in first place. This is why I'm also interested in the power plant industry. Companies like Calpine I heard have very excellent job security, pay, and a lot cleaner than what I'm doing now.

And after doing some research, it seems to be that northern California is even more abundant with my field of expertise. Does the cost of living differ from SoCal to NorCal? I would prefer SoCal, but I might reconsider.

[DriveNotCommute]

Originally Posted by Mateo2699

Thanks, I'm open to anything available in the field of process operations. I've always kept the pharmaceutical industry in the back of my mind, but living in Texas, working in refineries/chemical plants always came in first place. This is why I'm also interested in the power plant industry. Companies like Calpine I heard have very excellent job security, pay, and a lot cleaner than what I'm doing now.

And after doing some research, it seems to be that northern California is even more abundant with my field of expertise. Does the cost of living differ from SoCal to NorCal? I would prefer SoCal, but I might reconsider.

People with good project management skills and who can speak to having had good cross functional interactions should be in demand everywhere. About power plants, I don't know much about the sector other than a general impression that California planned on relying on natural gas a lot. This was a good time for me to look around a little bit, here's a list of power plant projects either recently completed, in the works, or planned:
Status of All Projects [energy.ca.gov]

You should still be able to get by comfortably just about anywhere if your pay is around that 6-figure border but yes, the cost of living in the Bay Area averages higher than in SoCal thanks mostly to rent/RE. Sales tax is about 1% higher in that region. Things are cheaper inland as you move out of SF/SJ commuter range and toward Sacramento.

[bobsnow]

Word has it that, alot of drilling for oil & natural gas is going to/or has begun around the city. Ive yet to see any job ads as of yet because Id apply in a heartbeat. Damn good $