Chief Metallurgist – Copper Hydromet & SX/EW Lead

Hudbay Minerals U.S. Business Unit; Casa Grande (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive total rewards

Performance bonuses

Medical, dental & vision benefits

401(k) plan with employer contribution

Employee Share Purchase Plan

Tuition Assistance

Paid time off & holidays

Job summary

Hudbay Minerals U.S. Business Unit seeks a Chief Metallurgist to provide strategic leadership for all metallurgical, mineral processing, and hydrometallurgical functions at the Cactus Mine Project in Casa Grande, AZ.

This role reports to the Sr. Engineering Manager and will mentor a high-performing metallurgy team, guide EPCM contractors, and drive process optimization toward LME Grade A copper cathode targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mineral Processing, or related field.
• 15+ years of progressive metallurgical engineering and technical management experience in large-scale mining operations or major project development, with at least 5+ years in senior leadership or managerial roles.
• 3+ years of experience in heap leach and SX/EW copper operations.
• Executive leadership capabilities with extensive technical expertise in copper hydrometallurgy, heap leaching, and SX/EW processing.
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary technical teams and manage complex project flowsheets.
• Strategic financial acumen including budget development, CAPEX/OPEX control, and vendor/contract management.
• Knowledge of Safety in Design (SID), MSHA/OSHA regulations, and environmental compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide overarching strategic and technical leadership for all crushing, stacking, heap leaching, SX, and EW operations.
• Direct metallurgical testwork programs, flowsheet development, process optimization, and recovery modeling.
• Mentor and build a high-performing team while overseeing EPCM consultants and labs.
• Establish long-term metallurgical strategy, quality control, and governance to meet copper targets.
• Champion safety, environmental sustainability, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead executive-level technical decision-making, value engineering, and risk mitigation across hydrometallurgy.
• Lead readiness, commissioning, and transition to full-scale operations.
• Govern OPEX and CAPEX budgets with effective resource allocation.
• Contribute metallurgical inputs to tollgates, feasibility studies, and strategic planning.
• Oversee equipment procurement strategies, vendor alignment, and contract negotiations.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic financial acumen

Cross-functional leadership

Safety in Design (SID) knowledge

Process optimization

Team mentoring

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Mineral Processing

Related field

15+ years metallurgical experience

5+ years senior leadership

3+ years heap leach & SX/EW

Job description

Hudbay Minerals U.S. Business Unit seeks a Chief Metallurgist to provide strategic leadership for all metallurgical, mineral processing, and hydrometallurgical functions at the Cactus Mine Project in Casa Grande, AZ.

This role reports to the Sr. Engineering Manager and will mentor a high-performing metallurgy team, guide EPCM contractors, and drive process optimization toward LME Grade A copper cathode targets.