Senior Kiln & Calciner Process Lead

MP Materials; Mountain Pass (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

MP Materials in Mountain Pass, CA, seeks a Senior Thermal Processing Engineer to support operation, optimization, reliability, and design of kilns, calciners, and related equipment. You will lead improvement projects, coordinate with process, maintenance, and controls teams, and ensure safe, efficient plant operation.

The role requires 10+ years of heavy industrial experience, a mechanical/chemical/metallurgical degree, and strong problem solving with heat transfer, mass balances, and project

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, chemical, metallurgical, or related engineering.
• Experience with industrial kilns, rotary kilns, calciners, dryers, or similar equipment.
• Experience with rotating equipment such as gearboxes, bearings, drives, and lubrications.
• Strong troubleshooting and project execution skills in heavy industry.
• Ability to read PFDs and P&IDs and perform heat and mass balances.
• Familiarity with plant controls, SAP, and PI Vision.
• Valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support for operation, optimization, reliability of kilns and related systems.
• Lead projects involving process optimization, debottlenecking, equipment modifications, capacity improvement, and design upgrades.
• Analyze equipment performance, including temperature, material flow, refractory design & performance, residence time, draft, combustion, heat transfer, vibration, motor load, and product quality.
• Troubleshoot buildup, plugging, refractory damage, overheating, vibration, misalignment, air leakage, and mechanical failures.
• Work with cross-functional teams to improve equipment performance and reliability.
• Develop engineering calculations, equipment specifications, scopes of work, cost estimates, schedules, and technical evaluations.
• Support capital project teams through detailed engineering, design reviews, procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup.
• Review and update PFDs, P&IDs, equipment layouts, datasheets, and engineering drawings.
• Coordinate vendors, contractors, equipment procurement, installation, commissioning, and performance testing.
• Manage projects from concept and design through execution, startup, and closeout.
• Present equipment performance, project status, risks, and recommendations to plant and senior management.
• Ensure all changes comply with safety requirements, engineering standards, and the Management of Change process.
• Any other tasks as directed by management.

Skills

Kilns & calciners

Rotating equipment

Heat transfer & combustion

Troubleshooting & reliability

Project execution

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, chemical, metallurgical engineering

Tools

PI Vision

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

MP Materials in Mountain Pass, CA, seeks a Senior Thermal Processing Engineer to support operation, optimization, reliability, and design of kilns, calciners, and related equipment. You will lead improvement projects, coordinate with process, maintenance, and controls teams, and ensure safe, efficient plant operation.

The role requires 10+ years of heavy industrial experience, a mechanical/chemical/metallurgical degree, and strong problem solving with heat transfer, mass balances, and project