Process Chemist - Group 14 Metals

About the role

Kunin Technologies is revolutionizing the critical mineral supply chain with advanced separation technologies. The role involves designing, guaranteeing and commissioning a Group 14 metal chlorination plant overseas for an industrial partner, running bench and mini‑pilot experiments in Chattanooga from December 2026 to May 2027, establishing chlorination/hydrolysis windows, delivering high‑purity oxide samples, and operating continuous mini‑pilot campaigns. The successful candidate will report to the Lead Organic Chemist, work with distillation process engineer, Senior Process Engineer and analytical chemist, and become a founding member of Kunin's Capital Projects team, expected to manage two‑to‑three projects in parallel after this plant is commissioned. The position is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Responsibilities

• Perform bench chlorination, hydrolysis and calcination experiments on metal‑bearing oxide and solid feeds; handle chlorine and HCl.
• Conduct ion‑exchange loading and elution runs on dilute metal liquors with Kunin media: breakthrough, elution, cycling and fouling studies.
• Close metal and impurity mass balances across chlorination, distillation, hydrolysis, recovery and calcination.
• Operate continuous mini‑pilot campaigns around the clock, including shift coverage, sampling plans and campaign reports.
• Prepare and document product samples and the experimental record that supports the plant design basis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry or chemical engineering required; Master's preferred.
• 2+ years of laboratory process development in hydrometallurgy, inorganic or specialty chemicals; experience with chlorination, acid leaching, precipitation or calcination preferred.
• Comfortable handling chlorine, concentrated hydrochloric acid and moisture‑sensitive chlorides under nitrogen in glass and PFA equipment.
• Competent with ICP‑OES sample preparation, mass‑balance spreadsheets and clear experimental write‑ups.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced and demanding atmosphere.
• Creative problem solving that integrates inorganic chemistry, careful experimentation and plant thinking to turn bench results into a design basis.

Pay

$90,000 - $165,000 salary, plus benefits and equity.

Benefits

Benefits package includes health, retirement, and equity participation (details to be discussed).

Schedule

Extended hours and weekends frequently required to support critical project milestones.