David Osborn

Principal Engineer | Process Technology | Waste to Energy | Power Generation

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

About

I am the Engineering Manager for Norton Engineering’s Gulf Coast Operations, bringing over 30 years of experience across aerospace, energy, maritime, and power industries. My career has centered on solving complex engineering challenges — integrating advanced technologies, optimizing processes, and delivering practical, innovative solutions for clients worldwide. I began my career at sea as an Engineering Officer, operating and maintaining steam turbine cogeneration plants, before moving into technical leadership roles with Hamilton Sundstrand, Pratt & Whitney, and Shell. Along the way, I contributed to gas turbine system design for the F 35 and F 22 aircraft, developed oxygen generation and hydrogen separation systems for the International Space Station, advanced modular power technologies, and supported the GTCC platform design for Shell’s Appomattox offshore platform. At Norton, I lead front end engineering, process development, and plant optimization projects for clients in energy, chemicals, and manufacturing. Recent work includes balance of plant design and heat integration for a novel cement manufacturing process, development of a NOx to nitric acid process for a South American copper mine, debottlenecking of an HCN thermal oxidizer, and process modeling and safety analysis for EDC oxychlorination. I have also co authored national energy strategies for Ghana and Ethiopia, focused on improving generation capacity, reliability, renewable integration, and rural electrification.

Experience

  • Process Engineering Manager - Gulf Coast at Norton Engineering Consultants, Inc
    Jun 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 1 mo

  • VP Engineering - New Orleans at VEI Global, Inc. Engineering Consultants
    Apr 2018 - May 2021 · 3 yrs 2 mos

  • Lead Mechanical Systems Engineer at Shell
    May 2013 - Apr 2018 · 5 yrs

  • Founder & Principal Engineer at Advanced Power & Energy Consulting, LLC
    Feb 2009 - May 2013 · 4 yrs 4 mos

  • Staff Thermal Systems Engineer at Hamilton Sundstrand
    May 2009 - Apr 2010 · 1 yr