Operations Engineer

saltworkstech; Stoughton, Richmond; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

RRSP matching

Life insurance

AD&D coverage

Education allowance

Safety culture

Team environment

Job summary

Saltworks Technologies seeks an Operations Engineer for an on-site role at a first-of-its-kind lithium demonstration plant near Stoughton, Saskatchewan. You will join a skilled technical team to operate, optimize, and advance the plant during start-up and early operation phases.

You will gain mentorship from Saltworks’ experts, with responsibilities spanning commissioning, data interpretation, and process improvement while maintaining a strong safety culture and hands-on daily tasks.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in Chemical, Mechanical, or Engineering Technology with 2–3 years of hands-on experience.
• Valid driver's license.
• Strong safety mindset and commitment to a clean, organized work environment.
• Solid mechanical aptitude and the ability to troubleshoot equipment and processes.
• Hands-on experience using tools, industrial instruments, and lab equipment.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Willingness to learn quickly and maintain high quality of work.
• Collaborative, can-do attitude to pitch in wherever needed.

Responsibilities

• Commission, operate, and optimize demonstration-scale lithium systems with training and senior support.
• Maintain safety by following procedures and keeping a clean workspace.
• Collect, analyze, and document process data including wet-lab testing.
• Build knowledge in water treatment and lithium refining with guidance from Saltworks experts.
• Support troubleshooting and optimization of demonstration-plant infrastructure.
• Contribute to reporting and feedback on process behavior and equipment performance.
• Perform basic mechanical maintenance; escalate complex tasks.
• Develop robust technical communication through drawings, documentation, and mass balances.

Skills

Chemical engineering

Mechanical aptitude

Troubleshooting

Hands-on experience

Safety-conscious

Education

Degree or diploma in Chemical, Mechanical, or Engineering Technology

Tools

Industrial instruments

Lab equipment

Job description

Saltworks Technologiesis a leading Canadian cleantech company solving two of the world's most pressing challenges: water sustainability and critical minerals supply. We design and build advanced industrial water treatment and lithium refining systems for global leaders in semiconductors, mining, automotive, and industrial processing.

Saltworks is a 2025 Technology Fast 50 company and EY Entrepreneur of the Year award winner. We lead our industry in adopting and developing AI across our products, projects, and operations. Join us and build skills defining the next era of engineering and industrial systems.

The role:

Join Saltworks as an Operations Engineer and take on an exciting, on-site, hands-on role supporting the launch of a first-of-its-kind lithium demonstration plant located near Stoughton, Saskatchewan. You will join at a pivotal stage of the project, taking a hands-on role in operating, optimizing, and advancing this first-of-its-kind lithium extraction facility.

In this role, you will work closely with a skilled on-site technical team to support start-up activities, system tuning, troubleshooting, and early-stage process optimization. You will learn from Saltworks’ industry-leading experts, gaining mentorship and technical guidance as you grow in the role.

Following completion of the 12 month demonstration period, there may be opportunities to continue with Saltworks, including potential opportunities at our headquarters in Richmond, BC, subject to business needs and available openings at the time.

If you enjoy hands-on problem-solving and working with advanced equipment, this role offers the chance to support advanced lithium technology while building meaningful, hands-on operational experience.

Key responsibilities:

• Commission, operate, and optimize a world-first demonstration-scale lithium extraction and refining systems, with training and senior technical support provided.
• Maintain a strong safety mindset by following all procedures, keeping a clean and organized workspace, and identifying potential hazards early.
• Collect, analyze, and manage process data, including wet-lab testing, interpretation, and accurate documentation.
• Build technical knowledge in water treatment processes, inorganic water chemistry, and lithium refining with support from Saltworks experts.
• Learn and apply an understanding of Saltworks’ products, processes, and demonstration-plant infrastructure to support troubleshooting and optimization.
• Contribute to reporting and provide feedback on process behavior, equipment performance, and opportunities for design improvement.
• Perform basic mechanical maintenance tasks, involving skilled tradespeople for complex or specialized work.
• Strengthen technical communication skills through work with engineering drawings, documentation, troubleshooting practices, and mass balances.

You will be a great fit if you have:

• A degree or diploma in Chemical, Mechanical, or Engineering Technology, with 2 - 3 years of hands-on experience.
• A valid driver's license.
• A strong safety mindset and a commitment to maintaining a clean, organized work environment.
• Solid mechanical aptitude and the ability to troubleshoot and resolve equipment and process issues.
• Hands-on experience using tools, industrial instruments, and lab equipment.
• Strongorganizational, communication, and time-management skills.
• The ability to learn quickly and maintain ahigh standard for quality work.
• A collaborative, can-do attitude and willingness to pitch in wherever needed.

Why join Saltworks?

At Saltworks, you'll collaborate with talented colleagues to solve complex, real-world problems – designing and delivering innovative water treatment and lithium refining systems for some of the world's most recognized companies. Every team member contributes meaningfully, from early-stage development through field deployment.

Saltworks is investing intentionally in artificial intelligence for engineering and technical work. Engineering offers one of the longest runways for AI-driven productivity and automation, and Saltworks aims to be at the forefront of this shift. We provide the training, computational capacity, and practical tools needed for engineers and technical professionals to apply AI meaningfully in their work.

We offer:

• Competitive compensation package, including medical, dental, vision, RRSP matching, life insurance, AD&D coverage, and an education allowance.
• Culture built on safety, innovation, diversity, and continuous learning.
• Collaborative, cross-functional team environment where every member contributes to project outcomes.
• Regular social activities and company events.

Salary: Negotiable based on your experience, qualifications, and alignment with comparable roles internally.

Location: Viewfield, Saskatchewan

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