Process Engineer - PHNX

Job Description

Reactor scale-up. Take our current single-zone pilot reactor to a multi-zone commercial system. Own residence time, gas-solid contacting, freeboard, refractory and alloy selection, and heat integration. Specify and procure the long-lead reactor itself.

Separations train. Design and commission the downstream train that splits a mixed product vapor into discrete gallium, germanium, and silicon streams. Own the thermal profile, vessel internals, materials of construction, sequencing logic, and the close-cut separations that determine final product purity.

Gas management. Own the hot corrosive gas stream end to end: reactor offtake, transport lines between unit operations, pressure balance, vent and scrub systems, and the recycle loop that closes the reagent balance at commercial scale.

Mass and energy balances, P&IDs, and equipment specs across the full refinery. Support AACE Class 3 cost estimation as we move into the commercial design phase.

Bench and pilot experiments to close the engineering uncertainties that block scale-up — separation efficiency at each stage, fouling and plugging, alloy and refractory compatibility at temperature, dust carryover.

Safety systems for reactive-gas service, in line with OSHA PSM, NFPA, EPA RMP, and Chlorine Institute pamphlets — interlocks, ventilation, scrubbing, leak detection, emergency response.

Standard operating procedures and commissioning protocols for the commercial facility, translated directly from pilot campaign learnings.

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.

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5+ years of process engineering experience in pyrometallurgy, extractive metallurgy, or reactive-gas chemical processing

Hands‑on work on unconventional feed stocks (coal ash, slag, tailings, ores, or similar).

Direct experience designing, scaling, or operating high‑temperature reactors and condensation or distillation trains in corrosive gas service (e.g., titanium industry).

Demonstrated track record taking a process from bench through pilot toward commercial scale: reactor sizing, materials selection for halogen environments (nickel alloys, refractory linings, quartz/borosilicate), equipment specification, and vendor management.

Working knowledge of the reactive‑gas safety code stack: OSHA PSM, NFPA 55, EPA RMP, Chlorine Institute.

Strong process modeling: mass/energy balances, gas‑solid kinetics, condensation and distillation thermodynamics. Aspen Plus, HSC, Fact Sage, or equivalent.

Hands‑on with analytical methods (ICP‑OES/MS, XRD, SEM) for tracking recovery, purity, and impurity partitioning across the process.

Direct communicator. You write clearly, push back when something is wrong, and do not hide behind hedges or buzzwords.

Excited to be on‑site at our pilot and at the commercial facility, in person with the team.

Familiarity with coal ash, slag, or tailings valorization, or with SCM/ASTM C618, is a plus.