Sulfuric Acid Plant Operator: DCS & Process Optimizer

Lithium Americas; Winnemucca (NV); On-site; USD 86,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Lithium Americas seeks a Sulfuric Acid Plant Control Room Operator to join the Sulfuric Acid Process Plant team at the Thacker Pass mine site. You will operate, monitor, and optimize the sulfuric acid plant and power generating unit within a DCS environment, ensuring stability, product quality, and safety compliance.

The role reports to the Sulfuric Acid Shift Supervisor and requires this site-based position during commissioning and steady-state operations, with emphasis on reliability and

Qualifications

• High School Diploma and 3+ years as a control room operator and/or in Process Plant Operations, Chemical and/or Power Generation Units.
• Proficiency in DCS operations (Honeywell, Yokogawa, Emerson, or equivalent).
• Strong understanding of chemical process and power generation principles.
• High attention to detail with the ability to diagnose process upsets under pressure.
• Ability to read and comprehend plant P&ID's.

Responsibilities

• Foster trusting relationships with all workgroups and promote a culture that aligns with our Purpose, Vision, and Values.
• Operate and monitor DCS systems covering Sulfuric Acid Plant operation, Turbo Generator operation, sulfur receiving and storage, acid storage, treated water and air systems.
• Ability to configure and utilize the historian data base to trend key equipment and process flows for maximum plant productivity.
• Monitor critical process parameters such as gas and acid temperatures and concentrations, SO2 emissions, cooling water systems and environmental control systems.
• Direct field operators in performing adjustments, inspections, and troubleshooting tasks.
• Adjust setpoints for flow, temperature, pressure and maintain process stability and meet product specifications.
• Respond to alarms and process deviations, implementing corrective actions to prevent off-spec production.
• Interpret real-time trends in plant operations and environmental controls.
• Generate reports on plant and generator operation and downtime events.
• Communicate effectively with maintenance teams during equipment breakdowns, isolations, and restarts.
• Coordinate with the laboratory for online and offline sampling; integrate results into process adjustments.
• Maintain adherence to environmental discharge/emissions limits and support effluent neutralization and waste handling protocols.
• Follow strict safety protocols for handling sulfur, acid, chemicals, reagents and high-temperature equipment.
• Support maintenance teams with isolation, lockout-tagout-tryout (LOTOTO), and process readiness for planned interventions.
• Record downtime data into the issued database for timely and transparent reporting.
• Ensure process plant availability through timely identification, reporting, and follow through of variances identified during the shift rotations. To include utilizing the maintenance work order system for repairs.
• Contribute to hazard identification, risk assessments, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide real-time feedback on changes in plant performance following optimization initiatives
• Contribute to continuous improvement by reporting process inefficiencies or recurring issues.

Skills

Attention to detail

Strong communication

Teamwork

Decision making under pressure

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

DCS systems (Honeywell/Yokogawa/Emerson)

Microsoft Office

P&ID interpretation

Job description

Lithium Americas seeks a Sulfuric Acid Plant Control Room Operator to join the Sulfuric Acid Process Plant team at the Thacker Pass mine site. You will operate, monitor, and optimize the sulfuric acid plant and power generating unit within a DCS environment, ensuring stability, product quality, and safety compliance.

The role reports to the Sulfuric Acid Shift Supervisor and requires this site-based position during commissioning and steady-state operations, with emphasis on reliability and