Process Metallurgist

Position Summary

The Process Engineer / Process Metallurgist designs executes and reports client-funded chemical and metallurgical process testwork programs across a range of commodities chemical and industrial mineral products and flowsheets and works alongside McCarls Technical Services engineering group to carry that testwork forward into process and plant design. This role spans the full scale-up path - bench testwork continuous pilot and demonstration plant campaigns and the engineering that carries that data into full-size commercial plant design. It generates the process data that anchors flowsheets mass/energy/water balances and cost estimates and carries a substantial process design scope: design criteria process flow diagrams equipment sizing and specification reagent and utility consumption vendor evaluation and support through commissioning and performance verification.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage bench pilot and demonstration-scale testwork scopes budgets and schedules for gold base metals tungsten rare earths lithium critical minerals industrial minerals and chemical process projects.

• Execute and supervise testwork across metallurgical and chemical unit operations: comminution gravity flotation leaching (cyanidation/CIL acid POX bio-oxidation) solvent extraction and ion exchange precipitation and crystallization evaporation roasting/calcination drying and solid-liquid separation.

• Design test matrices interpret results and translate data into flowsheet recommendations and preliminary mass energy and water balances.

• Plan build and run continuous pilot and demonstration plant campaigns - equipment selection and rental layout instrumentation and sampling plans shift coverage reagent and feed logistics and on-site or vendor-facility supervision.

• Reconcile pilot and demonstration plant data: surveys mass balance closure locked-cycle and steady-state validation and generation of the design basis and vendor guarantee data required for full-size plant design.

• Own scale-up from bench through pilot and demonstration to full-scale commercial plants - scale-up criteria and factors residence time and geometric similitude materials of construction recycle and water balance effects and impurity deportment over continuous operation.

• Collaborate with McCarls Technical Services engineering clients and staff on process design plant design process modeling and simulation and equipment sizing that build directly on bench and pilot results.

• Develop process design deliverables: design criteria block flow and process flow diagrams (PFDs) equipment lists mass/energy balances hydraulic and reagent/utility consumption calculations and process control philosophies.

• Size and specify major process and chemical equipment - mills thickeners filters reactors tanks heat exchangers pumps evaporators dryers and kilns - and support P&ID development with the engineering group.

• Prepare equipment datasheets and technical bid packages evaluate vendor proposals and support factory and site acceptance testing.

• Build and maintain steady-state process models and simulations to support scale-up debottlenecking trade-off studies and plant optimization.

• Support commissioning start-up and plant performance troubleshooting; participate in HAZOP and design reviews with a safety-in-design mindset.

• Provide the process and metallurgical basis and bench/pilot testwork inputs for Class 5 through Class 3 estimates PEA PFS/DFS and FEED-level studies; own scale-up assumptions design criteria and detailed design support through construction and start-up.

• Author clear defensible client test reports and technical memoranda; present findings to clients and study teams.

• Coordinate sample prep assaying and mineralogy (QEMSCAN/MLA) with internal and external labs; ensure QA/QC integrity.

• Maintain laboratory and pilot plant safety data management and chain-of-custody standards.

• Support proposal development and client business development as a technical resource.

Qualifications

Required for all candidates:

• B.S. in Chemical Metallurgical/Mineral Processing or a closely related engineering discipline.

• Hands-on chemical or metallurgical process testwork experience in a commercial lab operating plant or consultancy - from roughly 1 year for early-career candidates through 10 years for senior hires.

• Working knowledge of chemical and metallurgical unit operations across at least two commodity or product groups; flotation hydrometallurgy and chemical processing strengths valued.

• Strong data analysis technical writing and client communication skills.

• Comfortable in a fast-paced multi-project environment with competing deadlines.

• A track record of leading testwork programs end to end and owning client relationships.

• Experience designing operating or supervising continuous pilot or demonstration plant campaigns including data reconciliation and mass balance closure.

• Familiarity with commissioning start-up and performance-guarantee testing of full-size operating plants.

• Direct experience taking bench and pilot results into process and full-size plant design - design criteria PFDs/P&IDs mass and energy balances equipment sizing and specification - and into study-level engineering (PEA/PFS/DFS/FEED).

• Hands-on proficiency with process simulation tools (e.g. METSIM JKSimMet FactSage HSC Aspen Plus Limn).

• Experience mentoring or supervising junior technical staff.

Compensation

Salary range: $90000 $150000 per year commensurate with experience and level.