Copper Hydrometallurgy Exec Lead (SX/EW)

WorkNovaX; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

WorkNovaX in Tucson, AZ seeks a senior Metallurgical Engineering leader to oversee crushing, heap leaching, SX/EW operations and related processes. You will direct testwork, flowsheet development, and optimization, setting performance and recovery standards while guiding a diverse team.

You will craft long-term metallurgical strategy, implement safety and environmental governance, manage budgets, and coordinate with EPCM partners to deliver reliable, cost-effective processing at scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mineral Processing, or related field.
• 15+ years of metallurgical engineering and technical management in large-scale mining or major projects.
• At least 5+ years in senior leadership or managerial roles.
• 3+ years in heap leach and SX/EW copper operations.
• Executive leadership capabilities with extensive expertise in copper hydrometallurgy.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary technical teams and driving operational excellence.
• Strategic financial acumen including budget development, CAPEX/OPEX control, and contracts.
• Knowledge of Safety in Design (SID), MSHA/OSHA regulations, environmental compliance, and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership for all crushing, stacking, heap leaching, SX, and EW operations.
• Direct metallurgical testwork, flowsheet development, process optimization, and recovery modeling.
• Manage, mentor, and build a high-performing team while overseeing EPCM consultants and labs.
• Establish long-term metallurgical strategy, quality control frameworks, and governance to meet targets.
• Champion safety, environmental compliance across processing designs and site practices.
• Drive executive-level technical decision-making, trade-off evaluations, and risk mitigation across hydrometallurgy.
• Lead operational readiness, commissioning, and transition planning to full-scale operations.
• Formulate and govern departmental OPEX and CAPEX budgets, ensuring optimal resource allocation.
• Lead metallurgical inputs for tollgate reviews, feasibility studies, and corporate planning.
• Oversee equipment procurement strategies, technical bid evaluations, vendor alignment, and contracts.
• Foster continuous improvement, automation, and sustainable processing initiatives.
• Establish SOPs, training programs, and talent pipelines for processing personnel.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Strategic planning

Mentoring

Risk management

Budgeting

Safety compliance

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering / Chemical Engineering / Mineral Processing or related field

Master's degree in Metallurgical Engineering / Chemical Engineering

Professional Engineer (P.E.) license or equivalent

Job description

WorkNovaX in Tucson, AZ seeks a senior Metallurgical Engineering leader to oversee crushing, heap leaching, SX/EW operations and related processes. You will direct testwork, flowsheet development, and optimization, setting performance and recovery standards while guiding a diverse team.

You will craft long-term metallurgical strategy, implement safety and environmental governance, manage budgets, and coordinate with EPCM partners to deliver reliable, cost-effective processing at scale.