Stefan Merkle - Process Project Engineer for Plant Design

Recommended expert

Karlsruhe, Germany

Check rate

Experience

Jun 2024 - Jan 2025

8 months

Karlsruhe, Germany

Project Engineer

INERATEC GmbH

Analysis and validation of the existing concept
Scaling of the concept and design and selection of components
Preparation of the process flow diagram
Creation and ongoing updating of the schedule
Process simulation
Preparation of technical documentation for procurement of components

Feb 2023 - Feb 2024

1 year 1 month

Stuttgart, Germany

Project Engineer

Coperion GmbH

Support for the technical project manager in project execution with a focus on meeting project budget and timeline
Specification of plant components considering customer requirements and process flow diagrams
Coordination of the involved interdisciplinary departments
Technical contact person for customers and suppliers

May 2021 - Aug 2023

2 years 4 months

Dresden, Germany

Project Manager

Linde Electronics GmbH & Co. KG

Process engineering planning and design of the plants, including preparation of flow diagrams and layout plans
Creation and ongoing updating of schedules
Creation and ongoing updating of the project budget
Technical contact person for the client-side project manager, especially for troubleshooting
Coordination of involved partners and trades, as well as organizing regular project meetings

Oct 2020 - Present

5 years 11 months

Freelance Engineer

Self-employment

Feb 2018 - Feb 2020

2 years 1 month

Germersheim, Germany

Project Engineer/Project Manager

AURA GmbH & Co. KG

Independently lead projects with support from various involved departments, focusing on ensuring quality and schedule
Technical contact for client-side project managers, especially for troubleshooting in ongoing projects
Process engineering planning and design of the plants, including creation of instrumentation and control concepts and flow diagrams
Definition of plant components according to customer specifications

Sep 2017 - Nov 2017

3 months

Pforzheim, Germany

Project Engineer

Weber-Ingenieure GmbH

Project management
Design of machines and equipment
Layout planning and specification of pipelines
Functional descriptions and documentation

Oct 2013 - Aug 2017

3 years 11 months

Remscheid, Germany

Project Engineer

VPT Kompressoren GmbH

Project management and customer communication in order processing
Maintenance of technical documentation for individual components and the overall system, as well as the project database
Coordination of parts procurement
Basic and detailed engineering of gas compressor systems

Mar 2013 - Aug 2013

6 months

Karlsruhe, Germany

Intern in Technical Plant Operations

ALTUS AG

Technical support for various renewable energy plants

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Manufacturing, Professional Services, Energy, and Chemical.

Manufacturing

Professional Services

Energy

Chemical

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Product Development, Project Management, Procurement, Quality Assurance, and Operations.

Product Development

Project Management

Procurement

Quality Assurance

Operations

Skills

Knowledge Of Ms Project
Extensive Knowledge Of Ms Office, Especially Ms Excel Vba (Macros)
Knowledge Of 2d Drawings (Dassault SystèMes Draftsight, Autodesk Autocad)
Knowledge Of Specialized Design Software (Lauterbach Heat Exchangers, Ksb/Allweiler Pumps, Rtk Control Valves)
Knowledge Of Process Simulation (Dwsim, Aspen Plus)
Basic Knowledge Of Comos
Basic Knowledge Of Sap
Basic Knowledge Of C++

Languages

German

Native

English

Intermediate

French

Intermediate

Spanish

Elementary

Education

Oct 2003 - Sep 2012

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Diploma in Chemical Engineering · Chemical Engineering · Karlsruhe, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 8

Experience in Manufacturing 9 y

Avg length 2 y

Longest experience 5 y 10 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Germany)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Project Engineer, Project Manager, Freelance Engineer

Main industries Manufacturing, Professional Services, Energy

Main business areas Product Development, Project Management, Procurement

Qualifications

Highest degree Bachelor

Profile

Created

June 2025

Last Update

June 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Stefan is based in Karlsruhe, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

Stefan speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Intermediate), French (Intermediate), Spanish (Elementary).

Stefan has at least 12 years of experience. During this time, Stefan has worked in at least 5 different roles and for 8 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 months. Note that Stefan may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Based on recent experience, Stefan would be well-suited for roles such as: Project Engineer, Project Manager, Freelance Engineer.

Stefan's most recent position is Project Engineer at INERATEC GmbH.

In recent years, Stefan has worked for INERATEC GmbH, Coperion GmbH, Linde Electronics GmbH & Co. KG, and Self-employment.

Stefan is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Energy. Stefan also has some experience in Chemical.

Stefan is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Project Management, and Procurement. Stefan also has some experience in Quality Assurance and Operations.

Stefan has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Manufacturing, and Chemical.

Stefan has recently worked in business areas like Product Development, Project Management, and Procurement.

Stefan holds a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

Stefan is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

Daily Rate Distribution

0 2 4 6 8

<€480 €480-640 €640-800 €800-960 €960+

The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

Average rates for similar positions

Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.

1000

750

500

250

Daily rate avg. 819 €

The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.

1000

750

500

250

Median rate 856 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.