What You’ll Do:
Operating:
- Manage day-to-day operations of lab-scale process equipment, ensuring quality, safety, and efficiency.
- Achieve safe and proper operation of small-scale equipment under set parameters to produce samples for analytical evaluation and process design.
- Establish, document, and maintain laboratory protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all process operations.
- Conduct mineral beneficiation and material handling operations.
- Execute wet lab mineral extraction and processing operations.
Technical Expertise:
- Operate a full suite of process laboratory equipment and perform tests, including:
- Hydrometallurgical leaching processes
- Solid/liquid filtration systems
- Vacuum filtration
- Thermal furnace treatment and crucible handling
- Material crushing and grinding equipment
- Stirred beaker reactions
- Hot plate chemistry testing (acid and base chemicals)
- Sample preparation and handling for delivery to Analytical Lab
- Ensure that all process operations produce materials suitable for analytical testing and are documented in compliance with laboratory best practices.
- Conduct maintenance and troubleshooting of process equipment to uphold operational reliability and safety.
Collaboration and Innovation:
- Collaborate closely with engineering and senior staff, the R&D team, and Analytical Lab Technicians to support the testing of new extraction, separation, and material processing technologies.
- Stay informed about advancements in process equipment and methods to continually improve capabilities and methodologies.
Data Management and Reporting:
- Ensure accurate, timely, and secure recording of process parameters, operational data, and sample tracking in alignment with company standards.
- Provide operational reports and process observations to support decision-making in R&D projects and process optimization initiatives.
- Present process results and insights to engineering teams, partners, and stakeholders as needed.
Quality and Safety Compliance:
- Maintain rigorous adherence to laboratory safety protocols and compliance with regulatory standards in a physically demanding environment.
- Implement quality control measures to achieve consistent process operations and sample quality.
- Follow internal quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs for process operations.
What You Bring:
- Degree or diploma in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field.
- Experience in a process laboratory, pilot plant, or industrial production setting is desired.
- Background in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, wastewater treatment, or industrial production operations.
- Familiarity with process equipment including leaching systems, filtration equipment, furnaces, and material preparation equipment.
- Strong understanding of process operations, safety protocols, and equipment operation.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate with engineering staff and interdisciplinary teams.
- Commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and innovative working environment.
- Physical ability to perform extended standing, lifting, and material handling tasks.
Who You Are:
- Hands-on and self-sufficient: you excel at operating equipment and troubleshooting process challenges in real-time.
- Safety-conscious and detail-oriented: you understand that proper equipment operation is critical to producing quality samples and maintaining a safe work environment.
- Collaborative: you thrive working closely with engineering and senior staff in a dynamic R&D environment and value open communication.
- Results-driven: you take pride in operating equipment that produces materials enabling measurable process improvements.
- Physically capable: you're comfortable with the physical demands of process work, including extended standing and material handling.