Senior Process Engineer

Socket.dev; 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 is advancing a circular rare earth economy, seeking a Senior Process Development Engineer to drive technology from lab to commercial deployment. You will build process understanding from first principles, translate lab results into scalable designs, and set engineering standards for future FEED and startup initiatives.

You will mentor junior engineers, collaborate across R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Projects, and help optimize recovery, energy efficiency, and capital

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.
• Experience leading metallurgical testwork and pilot plant programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of new process technologies from laboratory through pilot and commercial implementation.
• Develop process understanding using first-principles engineering, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, process modelling, and experimental data.
• Plan, execute, and interpret laboratory and pilot metallurgical testwork, translating results into commercial process designs.
• Identify technology gaps, scale-up risks, and opportunities for process innovation.
• Develop Process Design Criteria (PDCs), process descriptions, mass and energy balances, PFDs, and process models.
• Develop process simulation models using SysCAD, Aspen Plus, METSIM, IDEAS, or equivalent software.
• Support development and review of P&IDs, process control philosophies, equipment sizing, equipment specifications, and technical design reports.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication

Leadership / mentoring

Hyrometallurgy domain knowledge

First principles engineering

Education

Bachelors in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Mineral Processing

P.Eng. Ontario eligibility

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 development of new process technologies from laboratory through pilot and commercial implementation.
• Develop process understanding using first-principles engineering, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, process modelling, and experimental data.
• Plan, execute, and interpret laboratory and pilot metallurgical testwork, translating results into commercial process designs.
• Identify technology gaps, scale-up risks, and opportunities for process innovation.

Process Engineering & Design

• Develop Process Design Criteria (PDCs), process descriptions, mass and energy balances, Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), and process models.
• Develop process simulation models using SysCAD, Aspen Plus, METSIM, IDEAS, or equivalent software.
• Support development and review of P&IDs, process control philosophies, equipment sizing, equipment specifications, and technical design reports.
• Develop design basis documentation to support FEED, detailed engineering, procurement, commissioning, and startup.

Commercialization & Technical Leadership

• Support technology transfer to Engineering, Operations, and Capital Projects through design, commissioning, startup, and early commercial operation.
• Lead process optimization studies to improve recovery, yield, operability, reagent consumption, energy efficiency, and capital performance.
• Participate in HAZID, HAZOP, process safety reviews, and engineering design reviews.
• Evaluate process alternatives, equipment selections, and scale-up strategies through technical and economic trade-off studies.

Collaboration & Knowledge Development

• Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Project teams to develop and commercialize new technologies.
• Develop technical standards, engineering guidelines, and design basis documentation for future commercial plants.
• Mentor junior engineers and strengthen technical capability across the Process Technology team.
• Prepare technical reports, engineering documentation, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.

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).

To all applicants, your interest and effort are sincerely appreciated. While we thank everyone for their application, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.