Process R&D Specialist – Minerals and Metals

Process R&D Specialist – Minerals and Metals

Applied Chemistry
· Hydrometallurgy
· Mineral Processing — Edinburgh Laboratory

Edinburgh, UK (on-site)

Full-time, permanent

Head of R&D

Forge Minerals is an Edinburgh-based technology company developing cleaner and more secure ways to produce essential minerals and chemicals. Our aim is to reduce the environmental impact of mineral production while strengthening the supply chains on which modern industry depends.

We are a small, ambitious team that combines rigorous science with a clear focus on commercial and climate impact. As we expand our Edinburgh laboratory, we are looking for people who want their day-to-day work to help turn promising science into practical industrial processes.

We are looking for an experienced, commercially minded Process R&D Specialist to lead hands-on development work: turning promising mineral resources and waste-derived feed stocks into scalable, low‑carbon extraction and processing routes.

The role would suit an applied scientist or engineer with experience developing chemical or hydrometallurgical processes, particularly for minerals, metals or waste-derived materials. We welcome different technical backgrounds and will shape the role around the strongest candidate's experience.

You will design and run laboratory-scale experiments, interpret the results and help decide which opportunities should progress. This is a hands‑on, commercially focused role: you will combine scientific rigour with an understanding of scale‑up, process economics and the value a successful process could create.

Strong candidates are likely to bring depth in one or more of the following areas:

• Design and run bench‑scale reaction, synthesis and separation experiments
• Investigate reagent selection, dosing, reaction conditions and kinetics
• Use analytical data, such as ICP, XRD and titration, to guide process decisions

Aqueous processes for recovering minerals and metals from ores, concentrates and waste streams.

• Develop and optimise leaching, precipitation, solvent‑extraction and ion‑exchange processes
• Assess recovery, selectivity, reagent consumption and early‑stage process economics
• Help translate bench‑scale results into practical pilot‑scale flow sheets

Characterisation and processing of mineral resources, concentrates and secondary materials, including critical minerals and technology metals.

• Characterise feed stocks and products to assess technical and commercial viability
• Evaluate recovery routes for critical minerals, battery materials and other technology metals
• Translate mineralogical and process data into clear development recommendations

Alongside the technical work above, you will:

• Take primary responsibility for relevant bench work, from sample preparation and experimental set‑up to analysis
• Design efficient experimental programmes and use the results to recommend whether and how a project should progress
• Maintain rigorous, reproducible records and support technical reporting and intellectual‑property development
• Work closely with the wider R&D team and provide technical guidance to laboratory colleagues
• Plan and conduct all work safely, in accordance with COSHH and laboratory procedures
• Keep abreast of relevant academic and industry developments in low‑carbon mineral processing
• Improve laboratory methods, experimental efficiency and the sustainable use of reagents

• A degree (BSc, MSc or PhD, as appropriate to your experience) in Chemistry, Extractive or Process Metallurgy, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or another relevant technical discipline
• Demonstrable hands‑on experience in applied laboratory or process development, ideally in an industrial, commercial or scale‑up environment
• Strong data analysis, interpretation and technical writing skills
• A practical, collaborative and curious approach, with the judgement to balance scientific and commercial priorities
• The right to work in the UK and willingness to work on‑site at our Edinburgh Innovation Hub laboratory
• Experience in reaction chemistry, hydrometallurgy, mineral processing,…