Project Engineer, Process Engineer

About the Company

We are on a mission to become a leading supplier of critical materials that enable the green energy and technology revolution. Our materials and technologies are required for the electric vehicle, green energy, consumer electronics, and defense industries, and our battery grade lithium and tech metals are needed for chipsets, semiconductors, and 5G.

At USA Rare Earth, we are pioneers and problem solvers, technologists and team players. Together, we build solutions, deliver quality, lead responsibly, and win together.

The Project Engineer leads capital projects, process improvements, and equipment upgrades within a high‑temperature metal‑making and alloy environment. This role bridges operations, maintenance, and technical engineering teams to ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and with long‑term reliability in mind. The ideal candidate is hands‑on, analytical, and comfortable working in a heavy industrial setting. As part of this role, you will be required to travel to our UK site for an initial training period.

During this time, you will learn Less Common Metals’ processes, standards, and operating methods. You will then serve as the trainer and project team lead within Engineering for the US site once operations commence, ensuring knowledge transfer and consistent global standards.

• Develop and manage project scopes, budgets, schedules, and risk registers for projects.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders, contractors, and OEMs to ensure alignment and timely execution.
• Lead project meetings, track milestones, and provide progress reports to leadership.
• Oversee installation, commissioning, and handover of new equipment and systems.

• Provide engineering support for melting, casting, rolling, forging, or heat‑treating operations.
• Analyse process data to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
• Support equipment specification, design reviews, and acceptance testing for furnaces, cranes, conveyors, and automation systems.
• Conduct root‑cause analysis (RCA) and implement corrective actions for equipment failures or process deviations.
• Ensure engineering documentation (P&IDs, layouts, manuals, drawings) is accurate and up to date.

• Ensure all project activities comply with site safety rules, UK regulations, and environmental standards.
• Lead hazard assessments (HAZOP, HIRA, PUWER) and implement engineering controls.
• Support continuous improvement of safety systems in high‑temperature and high‑energy environments.
• Promote a strong safety culture through proactive engagement and visible leadership.

• Work closely with metallurgists, process engineers, and automation engineers to ensure project designs align with process requirements and product quality standards.
• Translate technical requirements into practical project deliverables, ensuring equipment and systems meet metallurgical and operational specifications.
• Facilitate technical design reviews, ensuring cross‑functional input is captured early to avoid rework.
• Partner with reliability engineers to incorporate predictive maintenance strategies, condition monitoring, and lifecycle considerations into project designs.
• Collaborate with maintenance engineering to ensure new equipment is maintainable, accessible, and supported with proper documentation and spare‑parts strategies.
• Support technical teams during trials, commissioning, and performance testing, ensuring data is captured and analysed effectively.
• Act as a technical liaison between the facility and external engineering firms, ensuring designs meet site standards and operational realities.

• Provide engineering judgement during troubleshooting, shutdown planning, and equipment upgrades.
• Ensure technical teams have the resources, drawings, and information needed to execute their work.
• Lead cross‑functional problem‑solving sessions using tools such as 5‑Why, FMEA, and fishbone analysis.
• Mentor junior engineers and technicians on project execution, technical standards, and engineering best…