Chief Metallurgist

Discover a rewarding career opportunity at Kinross in the stunning rural landscapes of Washington State. Recognized for our leadership in low-impact mine development and nationally acclaimed for our reclamation and closure practices, our team has produced gold from six different deposits in the region since 1990. Currently the operation is managing an exciting multi-year pipeline of projects and is looking to build our team to effectively deliver results.

The Chief Metallurgist leads the metallurgical and process engineering functions for the site, overseeing all aspects of mineral processing from design to operations. This senior role is responsible for optimizing plant performance, ensuring high standards of safety and environmental compliance, managing metallurgical accounting, and driving continuous improvement and innovation across operations.

• Lead, manage, and develop the process and metallurgy teams, fostering a high-performance and safety-first culture.
• Provide technical leadership for mineral processing applications, including commissioning, and ongoing operational support.
• Oversee reagent management, metallurgical accounting, production forecasting, and budgetary activities for the processing plant.
• Develop, coordinate, and interpret laboratory test work, plant trials, and technical studies to optimize metallurgical performance.
• Guide troubleshooting, continuous improvement, and process optimization initiatives to maximize recovery, throughput, and product quality.
• Develop and execute strategies to optimize mineral processing for higher recovery and production efficiency.
• Oversee metallurgical test work and research initiatives to enhance processes and drive innovation.
• Monitor and analyze process data to identify trends, troubleshoot issues, and uncover improvement opportunities.
• Assess and implement new technologies, equipment, and methods to boost processing performance.
• Allocate resources effectively to meet production targets and maintain quality standards.
• Contribute to long‑term planning and development of metallurgical projects to support company growth.
• Manage the assay lab and metallurgical technicians: set priorities, assign work, ensure staffing and training, conduct performance reviews, and mentor met techs.
• Prepare technical reports, operational budgets, procurement documents, and presentations for management and stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, health, environmental, and regulatory requirements at every stage of processing operations.
• Support environmental stewardship through water balance management, reagent optimization, and sustainable process practices.
• Lead and participate in audits, operational readiness reviews, and strategic planning processes for site development and process innovation.
• Serve as a technical resource, mentor, and spokesperson for metallurgical excellence across the operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Metallurgy, Mineral Processing, Chemical Engineering, or a related field; advanced credentials an asset.
• 5‑8 years experience in mineral processing/metallurgy, with at least 5 years in a senior technical or supervisory role within a mining operation.
• Knowledge of all phases of gold processing, including grinding and agitated leaching with cyanide, carbon absorption and regeneration, and refining, as well as gravity and flotation concentration processes.
• Proven leadership, communication, and mentoring abilities with strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience in mineral process plant design, commissioning, operations, and optimization.
• Experience in budgeting, cost control, project management, and technical reporting.
• Understanding of ISO standards, environmental stewardship, health and safety, and sustainable mining practices.
• Strong commitment to safety, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Effective written and verbal communication for technical presentations and stakeholder engagement.
• Valid driver’s license and authorized to work in the United States.

• Strong commitment to safe working practices.
• Wears personal protective equipment at all times while in the production environment.
• Is alert and observes, corrects, and reports unsafe conditions.
• Follows operating procedures and complies with all regulatory requirements.

Reports to General Manager, and will report to Processing Manager.

English.

Salary Range: $150,000 - $165,000

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with match
• Paid time off
• Stock purchase option
• Basic life insurance
• Short and long term incentives