Lead Hydrometallurgy Engineer
Position Summary
Still Bright is bringing the first viable hydrometallurgical alternative to copper smelting to market at a moment when global copper demand is outpacing supply by historic margins. Our proprietary RACER (Rapid and Complete Electrochemical Reduction) process delivers fast, complete copper extraction while recovering precious and critical co-products, and as a closed-loop system it offers precise control over outputs and radically reduces environmental impact. Backed by top-tier investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Material Impact, the team is moving from pilot execution into the next stages of commercial deployment.
Key Responsibilities
Own the hydrometallurgical experimental program end to end—setting the roadmap for copper extraction, co-product recovery, feedstock diversification, and process integration, and prioritizing campaigns against company objectives.
Serve as the senior technical authority on unit-operation performance: leaching, separation, electrochemical reduction, and downstream recovery, including operating-envelope definition and troubleshooting.
Translate bench-scale results into scalable pilot- and demonstration-scale process designs, identifying risks early and developing mitigation strategies.
Develop and maintain process flowsheets, mass and energy balances, and equipment specifications across pilot and demonstration scale.
Specify, source, and commission process equipment and instrumentation in partnership with the controls and pilot teams.
Lead characterization for copper and co-product recovery, including XRD, SEM, XRF, QEMSCAN, ICP-MS, and Fire Assay, with particular rigor for complex or impurity-bearing materials.
Direct external engineering firms and consultants executing testwork, ensuring outputs reflect the chemistry of our closed-loop system.
Analyze process data and deliver clear, well-documented technical reports that inform go/no-go decisions, economic models, and reports for government agencies.
Collaborate with the CTO, VP of Commercialization, and Director of Hydrometallurgy to ensure the hydromet program aligns with commercial and regulatory directives.
Mentor and develop junior engineers and technicians on experimental design, data analysis, and safe laboratory and pilot practice, setting the bar for technical quality across the team.
Maintain detailed documentation of research work, methods, and results; uphold laboratory and pilot safety standards.
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, metallurgical engineering, process engineering, or a related field; or a Master’s/Ph.D. with commensurate experience, including a track record of owning programs and leading technical work with limited oversight.
Proven experience in research design, execution, and analysis, including translating bench-scale results into pilot-scale performance.
Strong command of mass and energy balances, flowsheet development, and equipment specification.
Knowledge of relevant metals-extraction industry standards, regulations, and best practices.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to lead and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
Strongly Preferred: Direct copper or base-metals hydrometallurgy experience, including with complex or impurity-bearing ores. Hands-on pilot-plant or demonstration-scale experience, including commissioning and troubleshooting of non-laboratory equipment at scale. Demonstrated expertise in solid, liquid, and gaseous phase characterization techniques (XRD, SEM, XRF, QEMSCAN, ICP-MS, Fire Assay). Experience integrating multiple unit operations into a continuous or semi-continuous process. Experience directing external engineering firms or managing third-party testwork. Familiarity with process controls, instrumentation, and real-time performance monitoring.
Nice-to-Have: Experience with vanadium electrochemistry, sulfide leaching chemistry, or solvent extraction–electrowinning. Exposure to a startup or scaling organization moving from founder-led operations to formal systems. Spanish-language proficiency.