Chief Metallurgist

About the role

Hudbay is seeking a Chief Metallurgist to join our team in Sahuarita, AZ. Reporting to the Metallurgical Manager, this role will be responsible for the safety and health of all employees in the assigned area, production and technical input, process improvement, planning and budgeting, testing and analysis, and people leadership.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for the safety and health of all employees in the assigned area, execution of area safety plans, and providing subordinates with thorough knowledge of government and company safety regulations.
• Provides direct technical input into the processing plant to ensure budget and production targets are met; develops a detailed understanding of process flow sheets for both the concentrator and leach plant.
• Identifies and rapidly implements improvement opportunities to increase free cash flow and reduce costs, guiding the Plant Metallurgy team in execution.
• Aids the Metallurgical Manager with production forecasts, capital, and operating budgets while ensuring metallurgical models meet short-term and long-term planning requirements.
• Prepares scopes for laboratory and pilot plant test work; monitors routine mineralogical and metallurgical data to inform long-term projects and operating philosophy.
• Actively involved in processing plant commissioning tasks to deliver expected performance gains and provide a robust product for the operating team.
• Mentors and coaches area-specific metallurgical technicians and operations personnel.

Requirements

• Education: University degree in Mineral Processing, Metallurgy, or Engineering.
• Experience: 8+ years of experience within metallurgical teams of operating processing plants.
• Technical Knowledge: Essential familiarity with copper and molybdenum flotation processing plants, including the flotation of oxides.
• Theoretical and practical experience with safety management, asset utilization, process variation (SPC), and metallurgical accounting.
• Core Skills: Demonstrated ability to plan, establish standards, and schedule resources effectively to achieve pre-defined targets.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leach Technology: Familiarity with concentrate leach technology is considered an asset.
• Project Development: Experience working through final design, construction, and commissioning phases of mineral processing plants.
• Collaborative Modeling: Ability to work closely with Corporate SME’s and external consultants to ensure metallurgical and recovery models correctly reflect plant design.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work environment will necessitate work near moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions such as hot and/or dry conditions. Employee must be able to perform the physical functions of operating a motor vehicle, including use of eyes, ears, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Employee must be able to prove that he/she has a current and valid driver's license.

Why Hudbay?

At Hudbay, our values of Dignity & Respect, Caring, Openness, and Trustworthiness are embedded into our culture by the way we work and how we interact with one another. We pride ourselves in providing our employees with competitive total rewards that include:

• Annual performance bonuses
• Affordable medical, dental and vision benefits for you and your family
• Company paid Life insurance, AD&D, Short- & Long-term Disability
• 401(k) plan with employer contribution/match
• An Employee Share Purchase Plan with contribution matching
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off, paid sick time and holiday pay
• Regular performance appraisals to acknowledge our employees for their contributions, strengths and work well done.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Candidates may be required to undergo educational and criminal background checks. Chosen candidates will be required to successfully pass a physical and drug screening.