Distillation Process Engineer
About The Position
Kunin Technologies is revolutionizing the critical mineral supply chain by implementing advanced separation technologies to capture value from overlooked resources. This role is for a Distillation Process Engineer who will own the purification train for a group 14 metal chlorination plant overseas. The engineer will be responsible for taking the metal chloride from crude chlorination product to electronic grade, with every metal at or below 10 parts per billion. This involves managing the number of distillation passes, cut points, reflux ratio, and handling of heads and tails to optimize capital cost, energy, and yield. The role includes running bench distillation programs, designing and operating a continuous mini-pilot, setting column design parameters, and leading the commissioning of the distillation train at the partner's site. This is a founding member position within Kunin's Capital Projects team, with expectations to execute design and delivery work on multiple projects in parallel after the initial plant is operational.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or chemistry required
- 5+ years operating or designing fractional distillation of volatile halides or electronic specialty gases: chlorosilanes, group 14 metal chlorides, TiCl4, BCl3, or semiconductor-grade precursors; ppb-level purity targets.
- Has designed or rated a packed or trayed column against measured vapor-liquid data and then run it; comfortable with Aspen Plus or equivalent.
- Hands-on with glass, PFA and lined equipment in HCl and chlorine service; safe handling of moisture-sensitive, hydrolysable chlorides under nitrogen.
- Ability to work in fast paced and demanding atmosphere
- Creative problem solving that brings together distillation theory, impurity chemistry and plant practice to reach electronic grade in the fewest passes.
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
Nice To Haves
- PhD or Master's with a distillation or separations focus preferred.
Responsibilities
- Bench fractional distillation program: cut design, reflux studies, impurity deportment and heads/tails recycle on a packed laboratory column
- Design, build and operation of the continuous chlorination and distillation mini-pilot, including HCl recovery and the product polishing and fill station
- Column and condenser design for the commercial plant: theoretical stages, packing, reflux, energy, materials, and the vendor specification
- The performance test protocol for the plant guarantee: test duration, sampling, acceptance criteria and deviation rules
- Commissioning lead for the distillation train at the partner's site: start-up, total reflux, first heart cut, ramp to nameplate and the performance test
Benefits
- benefits
- equity
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
