2.1 Senior Process Engineer – Hydrometallurgist

Phoenix-Tailings; Burlington (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Stock options

Unlimited PTO

Learning & development

Job summary

Phoenix Tailings is seeking a Senior Process Engineer - Hydrometallurgist to lead hands-on development, optimization, and scale-up of hydrometallurgical systems for critical and rare earth metals. You will translate lab results into scalable process designs and collaborate with R&D, engineering, and pilot operations teams.

Ideal candidates bring deep wet chemistry experience, proficiency in leaching, purification, precipitation, and solid-liquid separation, and a track record of moving processes

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in hydrometallurgy, wet chemistry, chemical process development, mineral processing, metals refining, or related chemically intensive systems.
• Strong hands-on experience with hydrometallurgical unit operations including leaching, precipitation, filtration, solid-liquid separation, solvent extraction, purification, and crystallization.
• Demonstrated experience translating laboratory or bench-scale data into pilot-scale or commercial process development decisions.
• Strong understanding of aqueous chemistry, solution speciation, acid-base chemistry, impurity control, reagent behavior, and process optimization.
• Experience developing mass balances, process flow diagrams, experimental plans, technical reports, and operating procedures.
• Experience mentoring junior technical team members or leading technical workstreams in a laboratory, pilot, or industrial environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, execution, and analysis of hydrometallurgical experiments including leaching, purification, precipitation, solid-liquid separation, and solvent extraction.
• Develop and optimize process conditions for laboratory, bench-scale, and pilot-scale systems.
• Translate experimental results into process flow diagrams, mass balances, operating windows, equipment specifications, and scale-up recommendations.
• Provide technical leadership for wet chemistry, including solution chemistry, pH control, filtration, and process troubleshooting.
• Support equipment sizing and selection for reactors, filtration systems, thickeners, mixer-settlers, and pumps.
• Lead root-cause analysis and troubleshooting for process performance issues.
• Collaborate with engineering, R&D, and operations teams to develop pilot-scale test plans and operating procedures.
• Mentor junior engineers and technicians in experimental design, lab execution, safety practices, and technical documentation.
• Maintain clear technical records and prepare reports for internal design reviews and leadership discussions.
• Support scale-up of Phoenix Tailings’ critical metals production processes from R&D through deployment.

Skills

Hydrometallurgy

Wet chemistry

Process development

Pilot-scale

Mass balances

Education

Chemical Engineering / Metallurgical Engineering / Materials Science

Job description

About Phoenix Tailings

Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly growing clean mining and metals production startup dedicated to sustainable and economic critical metals production. Our mission is to be the world’s first fully clean mining and metals production company—producing the resources required to power the technology of today and tomorrow.

Why Phoenix Tailings

At Phoenix, we’re building more than technology—we’re building the future supply chain for critical and rare earth metals. This work matters. It demands urgency, rigor, and creativity. You’ll join a team that values ownership, technical excellence, and the courage to challenge legacy approaches to mining and metals production.

Our Values:

• You are only crazy if you are wrong, it’s ok to be wrong
• Lead with Compassion
• Be Resourceful
• Listen
• Hustle

Who We Are Looking For:

Phoenix Tailings is looking for a Senior Process Engineer- Hydrometallurgist to lead hands-on process development, optimization, and scale-up of hydrometallurgical systems for critical and rare earth metals production. This role is ideal for someone with deep technical experience in wet chemistry, aqueous processing, leaching, precipitation, separation, purification, and pilot-scale development who wants to build real-world industrial processes, not just model them.

This position will play a key role in translating laboratory results into scalable process designs that support Phoenix Tailings’ transition from R&D to commercial deployment. You will work closely with R&D, engineering, and pilot operations teams to design experiments, troubleshoot complex process challenges, develop operating parameters, and guide junior engineers and scientists.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, execution, and analysis of hydrometallurgical experiments involving leaching, purification,precipitation,precipitation, solid-liquid separation, solvent extraction, and related critical metals processes
• Develop and optimize process conditions for laboratory, bench-scale, and pilot-scale hydrometallurgical systems
• Translate experimental results into process flow diagrams, mass balances, operating windows, equipment specifications, and scale-up recommendations
• Provide technical leadership for wet chemistry work, including solution chemistry, acid-base chemistry, pH control, filtration, precipitation, reagent selection, and process troubleshooting
• Support equipment sizing and selection for reactors, filtration systems, thickeners, mixer-settlers, tanks, pumps, and other hydrometallurgical process equipment
• Lead root-cause analysis and troubleshooting for process performance issues, including recovery losses, impurity behavior, phase separation challenges, and process instability
• Collaborate with engineering, R&D, and operations teams to develop pilot-scale test plans, operating procedures, and process control strategies
• Mentor junior engineers, scientists, and technicians in experimental design, lab execution, safety practices, data interpretation, and technical documentation
• Maintain clear technical records and prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations for internal design reviews and leadership discussions
• Support the scale-up of Phoenix Tailings’ critical metals production processes from R&D through commercial deployment

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in hydrometallurgy, wet chemistry, chemical process development, mineral processing, metals refining, or related chemically intensive systems
• Strong hands-on experience with hydrometallurgical unit operations, including leaching, precipitation, filtration, solid-liquid separation, solvent extraction, purification, and crystallization
• Demonstrated experience translating laboratory or bench-scale data into pilot-scale or commercial process development decisions
• Strong understanding of aqueous chemistry, solution speciation, acid-base chemistry, impurity control, reagent behavior, and process optimization
• Experience developing mass balances, process flow diagrams, experimental plans, technical reports, and operating procedures
• Experience mentoring junior technical team members or leading technical workstreams in a laboratory, pilot, or industrial environment

We offer a competitive compensation package that is based on expertise. We also offer the following benefits:

This pay range reflects best estimate for the total cash compensation which includes salary + discretionary bonus for this role. Total package may vary based on experience and qualifications.

Pay Range: $120,000- $190,000 total cash compensation plus equity

• Healthcare: 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee.
• Stock Options: Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company.
• Time Off: Unlimited PTO.
• Learning: Learning and development opportunities to grow your skills and career.

At Phoenix Tailings, we have an open culture that values learning, and we are looking to grow the team with enthusiastic individuals who share our vision of sustainable mining.

Phoenix Tailings, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at all levels. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information, or any other applicable protected characteristics, and these characteristics will not be a factor for consideration of any work-related decisions (including but not limited to hiring, firing, compensation, and discipline).