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:
- 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.
To Apply:
Please submit your resume along with a one-page summary detailing your most significant plant de-bottlenecking achievement. Describe the problem, root cause, your implemented solution, and the resulting KPI improvement. Candidates with direct experience tuning hydrocyclones or WHIMS on clay systems are strongly encouraged to apply.