Chief Scientist – Extractive Technologies

Our client is seeking a Chief Scientist – Extractive Technologies to join their team as the Company's highest-level scientific authority responsible for advancing proprietary technologies in mineral extraction, separation, purification, and resource conversion.

About the Role

This executive technical role leads the development of next-generation extractive technologies integrating pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, electrochemistry, and advanced separation science to transform complex mineral resources into high-value critical minerals and specialty materials. The Chief Scientist will guide technology development from fundamental scientific discovery through laboratory validation, pilot-scale demonstration, and commercial implementation, playing a critical role in defining the Company's technology roadmap, intellectual property strategy, and long-term competitive advantage.

Responsibilities

Strategic Responsibilities

• Define scientific strategies supporting the Company's critical minerals and advanced materials platforms.
• Lead development of proprietary extraction and purification technologies.
• Establish scientific principles governing process performance, selectivity, recovery, and product quality.
• Identify breakthrough opportunities in mineral processing, chemical separations, and electrochemical technologies.
• Provide scientific leadership for commercialization of emerging technologies.

Technical Leadership Responsibilities

Extractive Metallurgy

Leads innovation in:

• Pyrometallurgical conversion
• Electrochemical extraction and refining
• Hydrometallurgical processing
• Selective dissolution and precipitation
• Solvent extraction
• Ion exchange
• Membrane separation
• Crystallization technologies
• High-temperature chemical processing
• Mineral liberation and transformation

Process Innovation

• Develop novel approaches for maximizing resource utilization.
• Improve recovery, purity, energy efficiency, and process economics.
• Identify opportunities for recovery of valuable secondary products.
• Develop scientific models describing reaction mechanisms, phase behavior, and separation performance.

Scale-Up & Commercialization

• Guide technology transition from laboratory research to pilot demonstration and commercial deployment.
• Support process engineering teams with scientific direction.
• Evaluate pilot data and recommend optimization strategies.
• Support commissioning, startup, and troubleshooting activities.

Intellectual Property & Innovation

• Lead invention identification and patent strategy.
• Build and expand the Company's technology portfolio.
• Evaluate external technologies, partnerships, and licensing opportunities.
• Maintain awareness of emerging scientific developments.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Collaborate with CTO, Process Engineering, Pilot Plant Operations, Advanced Materials Development, Analytical Sciences, Manufacturing, and Strategic Partners.
• Mentor scientists, engineers, and technical leaders across the organization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline.
• 20+ years of technical experience in industrial research or technology development.
• Demonstrated success commercializing complex metallurgical or chemical processes.
• Strong record of patents, publications, and technical innovation.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary scientific organizations.

Preferred Technical Expertise

• Extractive metallurgy
• Mineral processing
• Lithium, aluminum, silicon, copper, or critical mineral processing
• Hydrometallurgical flowsheets
• Pyrometallurgical systems
• Electrochemistry
• High-temperature chemistry
• Thermodynamics
• Reaction kinetics
• Phase equilibria
• Chemical separations
• Solvent separations
• Industrial process scale-up

Desired Attributes

• Visionary scientific thinker
• Commercially oriented innovator
• Strong intellectual curiosity
• Excellent technical communicator
• Ability to bridge fundamental science and industrial execution

Pay

Contract rate: $100-$110/hour (40 hours/week). Upon conversion: $260,000 – $300,000 annually, plus 20% - 30% milestone-based bonus, pre-IPO equity, medical benefits, and 401(k).