Chemical and Process Engineer

About the role

Chemical & Process Engineer

Charleston, South Carolina

The Role

We are hiring a Chemical & Process Engineer to design, build, and operate our first copper processing and refining systems.

This is not a support role. You will take processes from first principles through design, commissioning, and production, and you will own performance, reliability, and output.

What You’ll Do

• Lead process areas or systems, with the opportunity for team leadership as we scale
• Design copper processing flowsheets from feedstock through finished product
• Build mass and energy balances, process models, and size key equipment
• Select and integrate unit operations in a coherent, scalable system
• Work side by side with mechanical and controls engineers to build a functioning plant
• Lead commissioning, including hands-on troubleshooting on the plant floor
• Define operating procedures, control strategies, and process KPIs
• Analyze process data and drive improvements in yield, quality, and throughput
• Own metallurgical performance, including impurity management and product quality
• Work directly with vendors and contractors to execute quickly
• Contribute to controls and automation systems, using process data and AI to improve stability and continuously optimize

Red Metals Non-Negotiables

• Bias for Action

• We move fast.
• Speed beats polish.
• We use every tool, especially AI, to accelerate decisions, execution, and learning.

• Grit

We do hard things because they matter. We keep pushing when others quit.

• Ownership

We own outcomes, not tasks. We see problems, fix them, and follow through across functions.

• Signal

We cut through noise. We communicate clearly and directly so decisions are fast and execution stays sharp.

• Craft

We take pride in our work. Quality, care, and precision are the standard.

What We’re Looking For

• Degree in Chemical Engineering or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience demonstrating process engineering capability
• 3-8+ years process engineering experience, ideally in metals, mining, refining, or heavy industry
• Strong fundamentals in thermodynamics, reaction engineering, and separations, developed through education or practical experience
• Experience taking processes from design through commissioning into operation
• Comfortable working on the plant floor in an industrial environment
• Ability to operate with incomplete information and make sound decisions quickly
• Demonstrated ability or potential to lead projects or teams in a fast-moving environment

Strong Pluses

• Experience with pyrometallurgy or processing of mined or secondary materials
• Experience with copper or other non-ferrous metals
• Experience commissioning industrial equipment
• Familiarity with process control systems and instrumentation
• Startup or early-stage experience

Location

This role is based in Charleston, South Carolina and requires on-site work.