Technical Lead - Plant Operations

AURIS NOBLE LLC; Warren (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Bonus based on performance

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Job summary

Auris Noble LLC is seeking a hands-on operational leader to manage an assigned production area. You will oversee safety, quality, and delivery, coordinating with operators, technicians, engineers, and contractors to meet targets.

Leading growth programs, you will drive facility expansion, process scale-up, equipment installation, and transition of improved processes into production. Experience in startup, commissioning, and project coordination is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, chemistry, metallurgy, operations management, or related field.
• 10+ years of chemical, metals, advanced materials, or comparable manufacturing experience with leadership.
• Experience leading production or technical teams and safety/quality ownership.
• Startup, commissioning, process scale-up, troubleshooting, and industrial equipment operation experience.
• Able to lead in structured projects and fast-moving plant environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations for an assigned plant area, production line, or technical workstream and maintain a visible presence in the area.
• Coordinate operators, technicians, engineers, chemists, maintenance, quality staff, and contractors.
• Own area performance for safety, environmental compliance, production schedule, throughput, yield, and cost.
• Develop staffing, shift, training, qualification, material, and equipment-readiness plans to meet targets.
• Lead meetings, manage risks, and drive decisions when needed.
• Support equipment specification, vendor review, installation, startup, and qualification of new systems.
• Ensure completion and use of SOPs, batch records, and maintenance plans.
• Lead pilot and production campaigns, review mass balances and analytical results for production release.
• Partner with ESH and quality on hazard reviews, audits, and corrective actions.
• Develop frontline employees through coaching and accountability.

Skills

Leadership

Operations

Project management

Safety compliance

Process scale-up

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, chemistry, metallurgy, operations management, or related field

Job description

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Bonus based on performance
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Who We Are

Auris Noble is a vertically integrated recovery and refining company that manages high-value critical and strategic materials generated by aerospace, defense, telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, and other industries. We develop science-driven solutions for recovering and upscaling complex and previously underserved material streams containing precious, refractory, rare earth, and strategic metals. Our capabilities span laboratory development, analytical chemistry, pilot operations, commercial-scale chemical processing, thermal treatment, metal recovery, and production of refined materials. Auris Noble operates multiple facilities and produces materials under an ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

Position Overview

Serve as the hands-on operational leader for an assigned production or process area. At least two positions are expected to function substantially like plant or area managers, with responsibility for people, safety, production, quality, equipment readiness, cost, schedule, and delivery of assigned project objectives. Assignments may involve critical-material recovery, separation, purification, thermal processing, or product upscaling.

This position will lead one or more company growth programs involving facility expansion, process scale-up, equipment installation and commissioning, recovery and separation of complex critical material mixtures, and transition of new or improved processes into sustained production. Assignments will evolve by project phase and will include P&ID design, requirements development, vendor coordination, pilot trials, qualification, documentation, training, production support, and continuous improvement.

Position and Benefits

Auris Noble offers a full-time, on-site position with benefits that may include health, dental and vision insurance; paid time off and holidays; 401(k) matching; quarterly bonuses; annual profit sharing; and a planned annual plant shutdown, subject to plan terms and company policy.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations for an assigned plant area, production line, or technical workstream and maintain visible presence in the operating area.
• Set priorities and coordinate operators, technicians, engineers, chemists, maintenance personnel, quality staff, and contractors.
• Own area performance for safety, environmental compliance, production schedule, throughput, recovery, yield, purity, scrap, downtime, housekeeping, and cost.
• Develop staffing, shift, training, qualification, material, and equipment-readiness plans required to meet production and project targets.
• Lead daily or weekly operating meetings, assign actions, remove constraints, manage risks, and elevate decisions when needed.
• Participate in requirements definition, equipment specification, vendor review, installation, startup, commissioning, and qualification of new or modified systems.
• Ensure completion and use of SOPs, batch records, work instructions, preventive-maintenance plans, inspection records, and operating logs.
• Lead pilot and production campaigns, coordinate upstream and downstream work, review mass balances and analytical results, and freeze operating parameters for production release.
• Partner with ESH and quality personnel on hazard reviews, management of change, incident investigation, corrective action, audits, and process-quality objectives.
• Develop frontline employees through coaching, performance feedback, cross-training, and consistent accountability.
• Provide concise technical and operational status, schedule, risk, production, and quality information for program reports and leadership reviews.

Education, Training and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, chemistry, metallurgy, operations management, or a related field, or equivalent progressive industrial experience.
• 10+ years of chemical, metals, advanced materials, or comparable manufacturing experience, including direct leadership of production or technical teams.
• Demonstrated responsibility for plant or area safety, quality, production, maintenance coordination, staffing, and performance improvement.
• Experience with startup, commissioning, process scale-up, troubleshooting, and operation of industrial equipment.
• Ability to lead in both structured project settings and fast-moving plant environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing multiple shifts or technically complex batch/continuous-processing operations.
• Background in hydrometallurgy, metal refining, inorganic chemical processing, thermal processing, or high-value materials.
• Experience with capital projects, IQ/OQ/PQ, preventive maintenance, ISO 9001, Lean/Six Sigma, or statistical process control.
• Prior responsibility for operating budgets, production planning, inventory, or contractor supervision.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Able to communicate clearly and effectively in writing and in person.
• Able to organize work, manage changing priorities, and collaborate across technical and business functions.
• Demonstrates sound judgment, attention to detail, initiative, and commitment to safe, ethical work.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and able to learn company systems.
• Able to protect confidential, proprietary, customer, and controlled project information.

Work Environment and Other Requirements

• This is an on-site position and is not eligible for a fully remote work schedule.
• Work will require movement between offices, laboratories, production areas, warehouses, construction areas, and vendor sites.
• Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment and comply with chemical, industrial, and facility safety rules.
• Occasional travel, schedule flexibility, or work during commissioning and plant shutdown activities may be required.
• Must be a U.S. citizen due to project and contractual requirements.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Auris Noble LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, consistent with applicable law. This description identifies the general nature and level of work expected and is not intended to contain every duty or responsibility. Responsibilities may evolve as company and project needs change.