Metallurgical Technician

Iluka Resources; Eneabba; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Camp accommodation provided

Facilities provided

Job summary

Iluka Resources is seeking a Water Treatment and Reverse Osmosis Operator at Eneabba, WA. The Metallurgical Technician will lead commissioning, oversee operation, and support plant runs with new camp accommodation provided.

The role focuses on water treatment, membrane processes, and mentoring in-field operators on dayshift within a fully integrated rare earths refinery project.

Qualifications

• More than five years operating a water treatment plant including multi media filtration and RO systems.
• Ability to manage plant water balance across seasons using field observations and data.
• Fluent in verbal and written English.

Responsibilities

• Undertake water and fluid commissioning across refinery areas.
• Run MMFs and RO chemical first fills and manage operations.
• Develop and implement membrane clean-in-place strategies.
• Lead RO membrane change-outs and seasonally adjust water balance.
• Coach and train in-field operators and perform sampling and testing.

Skills

Water treatment

RO operations

Process monitoring

Coaching

Tools

RO membranes

Process instrumentation

Job description

• Join Australia’s first fully integrated rare earths refinery

• Site-based - Eneabba, WA

• 5:2, 4:3 roster

Iluka Resources is a leading global producer of critical minerals, zircon and high-grade titanium dioxide feedstocks. In partnership with the Australian Government, Iluka is developing Australia’s first fully integrated rare earths refinery at Eneabba in Western Australia’s Mid West.

The refinery will produce both light and heavy separated rare earth oxides, supporting diversified global supply chains for minerals essential to defence, renewable energy, electric vehicles, robotics and advanced technologies.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Water Treatment and Reverse Osmosis Operator to fulfil the position of Metallurgical Technician on dayshift, reporting to the Technical Manager. The production personnel on continuous shift will run the plant. The Metallurgical Technician will take the lead role for commissioning the plant and play an oversight role during operation.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the refinery’s future, with new camp accommodation and facilities provided.

Key responsibilities

• Undertake water and fluid commissioning in all areas of the refinery
• First fills of MMFs and RO chemicals,
• Develop and implement membrane clean-in-place strategy
• Manage plant water balance seasonally,
• Lead change out of RO membranes
• Coach and train in-field operators
• Undertake representative and safe in-field sampling
• Creation of trends to assist in problem solving
• Create, follow and refine RO Plant operational & maintenance procedures
• As part of the technical team, play a part sampling, surveying, testing, and problem solving the wider refinery.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• More than five years operating a water treatment plant including multi media filtration, softening, reverse osmosis, clean-in-place systems and related processes
• A demonstrated ability to understand and manage the plant water balance throughout the different seasons with a combination of in-field look/listen/smell/feel observations, evaporation/rainfall/water recovery calculations, trend analysis and assessment of laboratory assays
• Fluent in verbal and written English

Applications close: 21 October 2026

What we offer

We are committed to upholding our Business Values, supporting equal opportunities, gender equality and cultural diversity.

We respect and encourage diversity in a workforce that reflects our communities.