Project Engineer, Process Engineer

ElementUSA is seeking a Project Engineer to bridge the critical gap between process and technology development and commercial engineering execution. This role will work closely with scientists, Process Development Engineers, technical experts, project leadership, and external engineering partners to translate laboratory, pilot-scale, and process-development data into clear, executable engineering deliverables.

The successful candidate will have practical experience with hydrometallurgical and/or pyrometallurgical processes, strong process-engineering fundamentals, and an understanding of how industrial projects progress from process definition through engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup.

This is a hands-on engineering role, not a traditional project-management position. The individual must be comfortable working with evolving technical information, developing engineering deliverables, identifying missing design information, and converting developing technology into engineering packages that external engineering firms can execute and detail.

Key Responsibilities

Process Development to Engineering Translation

• Work directly with scientists and Process Development Engineers to understand laboratory and pilot-scale results, process assumptions, operating conditions, and technical requirements.
• Translate process-development data into engineering requirements suitable for scale-up and project execution.
• Identify gaps in technical data required to advance engineering and work with Process Development teams to close those gaps.
• Challenge assumptions and ensure process-development information is sufficiently defined before incorporation into engineering design.
• Maintain clear interfaces between Process Development, Engineering, Operations, and external engineering partners.

Pilot Plant & Process Familiarization

• Work alongside and shadow scientists and Process Development Engineers in laboratory and pilot-plant activities to develop a practical understanding of the technology, process chemistry, equipment, operating conditions, and material behavior.
• Support pilot-plant activities where appropriate to understand process performance, operating challenges, equipment limitations, and scale-up considerations.
• Translate observations and learnings from laboratory and pilot operations into process design criteria, equipment duty requirements, design-basis documentation, and engineering packages.
• Identify gaps in process-development data required for engineering scale-up and work with scientists and Process Development Engineers to define additional testing or information required.
• Capture practical operability, maintainability, safety, and process-control considerations as the technology progresses toward commercial design.

Process Engineering & Design Packages

• Develop and maintain block flow diagrams (BFDs), process flow diagrams (PFDs), process descriptions, mass and energy balances, and design-basis documentation.
• Support development and review of P&IDs, equipment lists, line lists, utility requirements, control philosophies, and other process-engineering deliverables.
• Develop Process Design Packages / Process Engineering Packages suitable for transfer to external engineering and EPC/EPCM partners.
• Develop process equipment requirements, preliminary equipment sizing, operating envelopes, duty requirements, and technical specifications.
• Define process inputs, outputs, utilities, interfaces, battery limits, and design assumptions.
• Ensure engineering packages clearly document known information, assumptions, open items, and areas requiring further technical validation.
• Serve as a key technical interface between ElementUSA and external engineering, EPC, and EPCM partners.
• Translate ElementUSA's process intent and design basis into clear technical requirements for engineering partners.
• Review, challenge, and validate engineering-partner technical deliverables to ensure they meet process intent, design basis, operability, safety, and project requirements.
• Identify technical gaps, inconsistencies, assumptions, and scope omissions in engineering deliverables and drive them to resolution.
• Work closely with…