Senior Process Engineer

Cyclic Materials Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 115,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Dental coverage

RRSP/401K contributions

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Cyclic Materials Inc. in Ontario is seeking a Senior Process Development Engineer to advance hub-and-spoke processes from lab through pilot to commercial scale. You will build process understanding, translate results into designs, and set engineering standards to support future FEED, commissioning and optimization.

You will mentor junior engineers, develop mass and energy balances, and collaborate across R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Projects to drive a circular rare earth economy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Mineral Processing, or related discipline.
• 4–8 years of experience in process development, hydrometallurgy, mineral processing, process engineering, or commercialization of new technologies.
• Strong background in hydrometallurgical process development and scale-up.
• Demonstrated leadership of metallurgical testwork and pilot plant programs.
• Experience supporting pilot plant operations, commissioning, startup, or commercial plant performance validation.
• Extensive experience developing commercial process designs from laboratory and pilot data.
• Strong fundamentals in reaction engineering, thermodynamics, mass transfer, and process modelling.
• P.Eng. designation or eligibility in Ontario (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Lead development of new process technologies from laboratory through pilot and commercial implementation.
• Develop deep understanding of unit operations using first-principles engineering and experimental data.
• Identify technology gaps, risks, and opportunities for process innovation.
• Design, support, and interpret laboratory and pilot test programs.
• Analyze data to support process development decisions.
• Translate lab results into commercial process designs.
• Develop scale-up strategies and evaluate scale-up risks.
• Support commissioning, startup, validation, and performance testing.
• Assist in technology transfer to Engineering, Operations, and Capital Projects.
• Develop process models, mass/energy balances, and design basis documents.

Skills

Process development

Hydrometallurgy

Mineral processing

Process engineering

Commercialization

Testwork leadership

Pilot plant programs

Pilot operations support

Process design experience

Mass & energy balances

Team mentorship

Communication skills

Multi-disciplinary leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, or related discipline

Tools

SysCAD

Aspen Plus

METSIM

IDEAS

Job description

Cyclic Materials™ is building a resilient circular supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical materials. Through our proprietary MagCycle℠ and REEPure℠ processes, we recover rare earths from end-of-life products and transform them into high purity materials used in the production of permanent magnets. These materials are critical to the modern economy, including the production of electric vehicles, electronics, AI infrastructure, wind turbines, defense, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Founded in 2021, Cyclic Materials has rapidly progressed from technology development to commercialization. We currently operate facilities in Ontario and Arizona, with a new expansion underway in South Carolina. Backed by US$75 million in Series C financing led by T. Rowe Price, alongside strategic investors including Microsoft, Amazon, Hitachi Ventures, BMW i Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s InMotion fund, Energy Impact Partners, ArcTern Ventures, and Fifth Wall, we are scaling to meet growing global demand for a secure and sustainable rare earth supply.

We have established commercial partnerships with global industry leaders such as Solvay, Vattenfall, Lime, and VACUUMSCHMELZE, enabling the deployment of recycled rare earth materials into real world supply chains. In 2025, Cyclic Materials was named one of the Top 10 Climate Tech Companies to Watch by MIT Technology Review.

We are growing quickly and building the industrial backbone required for a circular rare earth economy. Joining Cyclic Materials means working on complex and exciting challenges at scale, alongside a team committed to executing and delivering measurable impact. If you are motivated by building critical infrastructure and advancing the circular economy, join us and help accelerate the growth of rare earth recycling.

Position Summary

The Senior Process Development Engineer will support the development and commercialization of Cyclic’s Hub and Spoke process technologies. This role sits at the interface of R&D, process technology, pilot work, and process engineering. The successful candidate will help build process understanding, organize technical data, support process design development, and improve how knowledge is captured and applied across projects.

The successful candidate will develop process understanding from first principles, translate laboratory and pilot results into commercial process designs, and establish the technical standards, design basis, and engineering knowledge required to support future commercial plants. The role will provide the process engineering basis for future FEED, detailed design, commissioning, and operational optimization while building Cyclic's long-term technical knowledge base. This position also plays a central role in mentoring junior engineers and strengthening engineering capability across the organization.

What You Will Be Doing

• Lead the development of new process technologies from laboratory through pilot and commercial implementation.
• Develop a deep understanding of core unit operations using first-principles engineering, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, process modelling, and experimental data.
• Identify technology gaps, technical risks, and opportunities for process innovation.
• Design, support, and interpret laboratory and pilot test programs.
• Analyze laboratory, pilot, and operating plant data to support process development and engineering decisions.
• Translate laboratory and pilot testwork into commercial process designs.
• Develop scale-up strategies and evaluate scale-up risks.
• Participate in commissioning, startup, process validation, and performance testing of pilot and commercial facilities.
• Support process optimization during early commercial operation.
• Support technology transfer to Engineering, Operations, and Capital Projects.
• Develop process models, mass and energy balances, design basis documents, and other technical documentation to support technology development and commercialization.

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Mineral Processing, or related discipline.
• 4–8 years of experience in process development, hydrometallurgy, mineral processing, process engineering, or commercialization of new technologies.
• Strong background in hydrometallurgical process development and scale-up.
• Demonstrated experience leading metallurgical testwork and pilot plant programs.
• Experience supporting pilot plant operations, commissioning, startup, or commercial plant performance validation.
• Extensive experience developing commercial process designs from laboratory and pilot data.
• Strong understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals, reaction engineering, thermodynamics, mass transfer, transport phenomena, and process modelling.
• Experience developing Process Design Criteria and other core process engineering deliverables.
• Experience with process simulation software such as SysCAD, Aspen Plus, METSIM, IDEAS, or equivalent.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary technical teams and mentor junior engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with metallurgical testwork, pilot plant operations, or process development programs.
• Exposure to hydrometallurgical or mineral processing unit operations.
• Experience with SysCAD or similar process modelling tools.
• Experience with rare earths or other critical materials is an asset.

Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation or eligibility in Ontario.

Who You Are

• Passionate about developing new technologies and bringing them to commercial reality.
• Comfortable leading ambiguous technical problems through structured engineering analysis.
• Naturally curious and driven to understand processes from first principles.
• Collaborative and able to influence across R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Project teams.
• Organized and committed to building lasting technical knowledge within the organization.

Motivated by mentoring others and raising technical capability across the team.

Pay Range

$115,000 - $145,000 CAD

Why You Will Love Cyclic Materials

• At Cyclic Materials, we're dedicated to supporting our workforce on their unique career journey
• We offer a competitive compensation package including Health and Dental coverage, RRSP (Canada)/ 401K (USA) contributions and a generous paid time off program that lets you recharge
• We value diversity and are committed to maintaining a workplace where everyone is respected and recognized for their contributions

The base compensation offered is determined based on the successful candidate’s relevant experience, skills, and competencies and considers internal equity.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Cyclic Materials is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all individuals have an opportunity to succeed. If you require accommodation at any stage of the interview process, please email [e-mail]. Applicants for employment in the Canada and US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States or Canada and with Cyclic Materials (i.e., H1-B visa, F-1 visa (OPT), TN, L1-A visa or any other non-immigrant status).