Principal Process Engineer

Kunin Technologies•Chattanooga, TN

11d

About The Position

Kunin Technologies is developing mass-manufacturable nano-separation systems and novel ion-exchange media to recover value from overlooked resources and improve the critical mineral supply chain. The Principal Process Engineer will own the full technical scope of a specific project and advance it through a stage-gated process, including recommending that a project be stopped when appropriate. The role covers end-to-end hydrometallurgical flowsheet development, techno-economic evaluation, scaled testing and pilot work, basic and detailed engineering, vendor selection, facility construction, and start-up. The engineer will help determine project viability and support company Go/No-Go decisions, while managing EPCM support as needed. Success includes bringing facilities to nameplate capacity and producing on-spec product.

Requirements

At least 10 years of process engineering experience, including flowsheet development and detailed engineering.
Capability to develop a hydrometallurgical process from concept through laboratory and pilot work, construction, and operation.
Willingness to author PFDs, P&IDs, and equipment specifications regardless of experience level.
Intentional approach to project stage gates and comfort with stopping a project and moving to the next.
Willingness to work hard in an early-stage startup environment with high autonomy and expectations.
Ability to lead a team while listening to others and changing course in response to new information.
Willingness to relocate to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Availability to travel to customer sites in the United States, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia for site visits, on-site testing, detailed engineering, and start-up.
Availability for frequently required extended hours and weekends to support critical project milestones.

Responsibilities

Own the full technical scope of an assigned project and advance it through stage gates, including ending projects early when appropriate.
Lead end-to-end flowsheet development, including comminution and physical concentration, leaching, solid–liquid separation, ion exchange, solvent extraction, precipitation, crystallization, electrowinning, product polishing, residue disposition, reagent regeneration, water balance, and effluent management.
Own flowsheet techno-economics to assess project viability and inform company Go/No-Go decisions.
Determine where scaled testing is needed to de-risk unit operations, define critical engineering parameters, and produce product samples for offtake partners.
Lead pilot testing when necessary to collect data and produce samples.
Lead basic and detailed engineering, including process design, major equipment design, brownfield integration design, FEED, and the complete engineering package; manage EPCM support.
Identify, vet, and select process technology vendors from pilot through commercialization.
Lead the facility construction scope, including managing EPCM support.
Ensure successful facility start-up and drive the facility to nameplate capacity while producing on-spec product.
Author PFDs, P&IDs, and equipment specifications.