Manager of Process Engineering

Location: Cobalt Refinery, Temiskaming Shores, Ontario

Reference No: 2024-028

Position Type: Full-time

Rate of Pay: Salary, Commensurate with experience and qualifications

ABOUT ELECTRA BATTERY MATERIALS

Electra is planning to build North America’s only fully integrated, localized and environmentally sustainable battery materials complex. In 2024, Electra received $10 million in Federal government funding and $20 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide support toward the development of its battery materials complex. Leveraging the company’s own mining assets and business partners, the Electra Battery Materials Park will host a cobalt sulfate plant with plans to build a nickel sulfate plant and a large-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility in future. Electra’s focus will be to supply the North American Electric Vehicle market with battery materials to support the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries within North America. Electra Battery Materials is an integral part of the North American battery supply chain, providing low-carbon, sustainable and traceable raw materials for the region’s fast growing electric vehicle industry.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Below is a list of primary duties and responsibilities for the Manager of Process Engineering position at the Cobalt Refinery:

Health, Safety and Environment:

- Review, follow and manage company’s HSE policy;

- Ensure all process related HSE aspects are implemented and zero loss time injury is achieved and continues to be achieved;

- Ensure all staff working in the areas of responsibility are adequately trained and follow the company’s HSE guidelines and procedures;

- Provide HSE related inputs to the HSE Manager or designate as required;

Managerial:

- Oversee, lead and manage a group of process engineers, technologists, support staff, lab and operations;

- Provide technical mentorship and guidance to direct reports and process related aspects of operations;

- Set performance goals, conduct regular reviews, and provide training to team members;

- When required give technical support to address government agency requests, such as Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Labour, etc.

- Attend and engage in technical meetings and communicate effectively;

Operations:

- Be willing to work in a hydrometallurgical plant environment where both construction and operations are occurring simultaneously;

- Be part of a plant commissioning team and provide technical oversight to commissioning tasks;

- Participate in and provide final sign off on process engineering changes, plant design changes and process control changes within an operating plant;

- Develop, document, and implement new process workflows and standard operating procedures;

- Ensure process consistency and optimization;

- Identify and analyze existing processes to find opportunities for efficiency improvements;

- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor and measure process efficiency;

- Participate in establishing KPI’s for process engineers within the group;

- Report and present progress and results of process changes to senior management;

- Ensure all processes comply with regulatory standards, safety protocols, and quality guidelines;

- Identify potential process risks and develop mitigation strategies;

- Identify bottlenecks and improve workflows to enhance productivity and reduce costs;

Metallurgical Balance and Product Quality:

- Ensure daily, weekly and monthly metallurgical balances are generated accurately;

- Interpret metallurgical balances during daily production reviews;

- Partake and provide inputs in developing risk mitigation strategy;

- Mitigate risks to recoveries, production targets and product quality;

Projects:

- Design, analyze, and improve complex metallurgical processes to maximize recoveries, efficiency and productivity;

- Work with outside contract engineering firms to help manage technical projects within the plant and process;

- Develop project plans, timelines, and deliverables for process improvement;

- Lead process improvement projects and initiatives, from planning through execution;

Laboratory and Analytical:

- Provide technical support to on-site metallurgical lab;

- Establish bench scale lab tests as requested from management, provide technical oversight on execution of lab tests;

- Develop testing procedures on critical operating process parameters;

- Work closely with laboratory and operations personnel to ensure process alignment;

- Allocate resources effectively, including personnel, equipment and materials to support process engineering projects;

Generic:

- Encourage a culture of innovation and efficiency within the team;

- This role will report directly to the VP, Metallurgy & Technology; and

- Other duties as assigned by management.

QUALIFICATIONS

- A Bachelor’s degree in Chemical or Metallurgical Engineering or equivalent with Ontario Professional Engineering (P.Eng.) status;

- 5 years or more of relevant experience in a managerial role as a Chemical or Metallurgical Engineer required;

- Extensive operational, commissioning, and design experience related to chemical and/or hydrometallurgical processes required;

- Proven ability to lead a team through effective communication and interaction skills;

- Strong knowledge of materials analytical methods required;

- Must be local or willing to relocate to Temiskaming Shores, ON;

- High proficiency of Microsoft Office applications;

- Strong analytical skills with attention to detail and accuracy;

- Superior organizational, problem solving and time management skills; and,

- Excellent written and oral communications.

WHY JOIN ELECTRA BATTERY MATERIALS?

Together, we will power a better path forward. Be a part of a fast-growing team, as we succeed in becoming North America’s first integrated battery materials park, providing battery grade materials for the electric vehicle revolution. Our success is contingent on the hard work and dedication of our people. Electra Battery Materials rewards team members through:

- Recognition and results-driven compensation

- Training and development opportunities

- Health and wellbeing

- Ongoing communication and two-way feedback

If you are a passionate, committed, and dynamic individual, please submit your resume in confidence. Please note that only qualified candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Electra Battery Materials is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect and we believe that diversity and inclusion among our team members is critical to our success. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and decisions to hire or promote will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business requirements.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

- Dental care

- Extended health care

- Life insurance

- Paid time off

- Vision care

Application question(s):

- Are you local or willing to relocate to Temiskaming Shores, Ontario?

Education:

- Bachelor's Degree (preferred)

Experience:

- Process Engineering: 5 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person