R&D Engineer

Overview

Aurubis - metallurgy is our passion. We are a leading global multi-metal company and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide. We process complex metal concentrates, scrap metals, and metal-bearing recycling materials into metals of the highest purity. These metals serve as the basis for key megatrends such as digitalization, renewable energies, e-mobility, and urbanization. Aurubis has about 7,000 employees, production sites in Europe and the US, and an extensive worldwide distribution system.

Join our team and promote progress together with us!

As the on-site R&D Engineer at Aurubis Richmond, you will be an integral part of a cross-functional R&D team working closely with R&D Corporate and Production, Supply Chain, Commissioning, Maintenance, and Analytical teams in Richmond and other locations. Your role involves developing and designing new processes while enhancing existing ones. By exploring metallurgical and mathematical models, you will identify significant improvements in production processes spanning commercial, energy, and other domains.

Your responsibilities include engineering research, process modeling, simulation, data collection, sample testing, writing research reports for strategic initiatives and decision-making, and assisting in other projects as assigned.

• Own and contribute to engineering research and process development in metallurgical contexts.
• Perform process modeling, simulation, data collection, and sample testing.
• Write research reports to support strategic initiatives and decision-making; assist in related projects as assigned.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (R&D Corporate, Production, Supply Chain, Commissioning, Maintenance, Analytical) across Richmond and other locations.

• Bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering or a relevant field.
• MS or PhD is a plus.

• Extractive metallurgy and primary and secondary metal production
• Pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and electrometallurgical processes
• Process flow diagrams and phase diagrams
• Analytical equipment and materials characterization
• Physical metallurgy and mechanics of materials
• Mass and heat balances and metallurgical process simulations (using HSC, METSIM, Aspen, etc.)
• Metallurgical thermodynamics and Factsage, Thermo-Clac, etc.
• Mathematical modeling and optimization using AIMMS, MATLAB, Python, C++, or comparable languages
• Environmental and occupational health and safety compliance

• Strong work ethic and integrity
• Passion for research and continuous learning
• Creative problem solver with an analytical mindset
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and accuracy
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment and meets tight deadlines
• Effective verbal and written communicator
• Open to constructive feedback
• Willing and physically able to observe and walk in a smelter environment
• Willing and physically able to work in varying cold and heat conditions
• Ability to perform prolonged walking, standing, bending; occasional lifting up to 50 pounds
• Ability to travel within facility and externally as required
• Must wear all required PPE in protected areas
• Required to reach and grasp with hands and arms; vision requirements as specified
• Willing to travel domestically and/or internationally if requested

• Ensure compliance with Aurubis environmental, health, and safety standards; perform risk assessments and prepare operating instructions
• Develop a working understanding of non-ferrous metallurgy and serve as a metallurgy subject matter expert
• Develop process flow diagrams for existing and new metallurgical and chemical processes
• Develop, analyze, and optimize mass and heat balances
• Calculate phase diagrams, chemical equilibrium, and thermodynamic properties of materials under various conditions
• Perform mathematical modeling for process development and continuous improvement
• Plan, control, execute, and evaluate experiments and computer simulations
• Characterize materials using analytical equipment and interpret data for process-structure–property relationships
• Apply mechanics of materials to assess performance and degradation in metallurgical…