Senior Process Engineer - Halloysite Beneficiation

The Mission of the Role

We are seeking a Senior Process Engineer who has operated clay processing plants—not just designed or modeled them. You will own the Front-of-Plant (FOP) beneficiation circuit end-to-end, transforming run-of-mine (ROM) halloysite clay into high-purity, specification-grade slurry or press-cake for our downstream high-purity alumina (HPA) and nano-silicon production. If you have built, commissioned, or optimized kaolin lines, you will find an immediate and impactful home here.

Key Responsibilities: What You Will Own

End-to-End Process Ownership: Take full responsibility for the FOP beneficiation flowsheet from ROM ore through crushing, slurrying/blunging, attrition/degritting, classification, magnetic/chemical cleaning, and dewatering.

Performance & Yield Management: Drive process performance to meet hard targets on throughput (tph), product yield, brightness/whiteness, chemical specs (Fe₂O₃/trace metals), particle size distribution (PSD - d50/d90), moisture, and slurry viscosity. Establish, monitor, and report on KPIs.

Design through Commissioning: Lead and contribute to Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), P&IDs, mass/water balances, and equipment sizing/specification. Manage FAT/SAT, oversee start-up, and lead de-bottlenecking efforts.

Process Control & QA/QC: Define and implement the control strategy (PLC/SCADA), specifying online instrumentation. Establish rigorous shift/daily sampling plans and ensure strict adherence to LIMS protocols.

Chemistry & Rheology Optimization: Optimize the use of dispersants/deflocculants, pH, and ionic strength. Develop SOPs for slurrying, residence times, and shear history to control rheology for optimal downstream processing.

Team Leadership & Vendor Management: Lead and mentor a small team of operators and technicians. Manage key vendor relationships and define critical spare parts requirements.

EHS & Operational Excellence: Champion a culture of safety, owning compliance with MSHA/OSHA standards, Process Safety Management (PSM) elements, Management of Change (MOC), and HAZOP/PHAs.

Measuring Success: 30-60-90 Day Plan

· First 30 Days: Conduct a thorough current-state audit to establish a hard baseline for yield, quality, and constraints. Develop a risk register and a prioritized de-bottlenecking plan.

· First 60 Days: Finalize key PFDs/P&IDs. Issue vendor specification packages. Implement and train shifts on new SOPs for core FOP unit operations.

· First 90 Days: Achieve stable operation at target throughput and recovery, consistently producing on-spec product. Launch shift-level performance dashboards, demonstrating increased uptime and reduced process variance.

Qualifications & Mindset: What You Bring

• Must-Have Experience: Bachelors (or Higher) in Chemical or relevant engineering and 8+ years of hands-on experience in process engineering, design, and operations within clay or industrial minerals processing (e.g., kaolin, bentonite, calcium carbonate). Direct experience with kaolin beneficiation is highly valued.
• Proven Commissioning Skills: You have the "scars" to prove it—you've started up lines, solved practical problems (e.g., piping slopes, cyclone nozzles), and eliminated chronic operational issues like rag layers.
• Deep Unit Operations Knowledge: Expertise in blunging/slurrying, attrition, degritting, classification (hydrocyclones, centrifuges), magnetic separation (WHIMS/LIMS), leaching, and dewatering (thickeners, filter presses, centrifuges).
• Technical Literacy: Proficiency with PSD (laser diffraction) and rheology control. You understand how chemistry impacts equipment performance and product quality.
• Data-Driven & Disciplined: Strong foundation in mass balancing, statistical process control (SPC), and structured problem-solving (e.g., DOE). You use data to make precise, effective changes.
• Hands-On, Plant-Floor Mindset: You are as comfortable writing an SOP as you are troubleshooting a pump. This is a "steel-toed boots" role, requiring significant time on the plant floor and at the mine site.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience feeding high-purity alumina (HPA), boehmite, ceramics, or battery materials production.
• Expertise in optimizing WHIMS and chemical leaching circuits for iron removal without compromising product rheology.
• PE license or ability to qualify as the Engineer-of-Record.

Logistics & Compensation

• This is an on-site role based in Provo, UT, with regular travel to our Eureka, UT mine site. It is not a remote or lab-based position.
• Competitive salary, meaningful equity stake, and comprehensive benefits package.
• Full company benefits, including health, vision, and dental insurance.
• Additional benefits such as retirement plans, paid time off, and opportunities for professional development.
• Relocation assistance is available for the ideal candidate.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person