8.4. Production Engineer II - Burlington

Phoenix Tailings • Burlington, MA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Phoenix Tailings is seeking a hands-on Production Engineer II with a background in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering to join their R&D and Pilot Production team. This role is crucial for scaling up the future of clean critical metal production. The engineer will work directly on the pilot production floor, optimizing early-stage technologies, validating new processes, and driving the transition from lab-scale innovations to scalable industrial systems. The work will directly impact the development of sustainable pathways for rare earth metals manufacturing.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field
• 2–4 years of experience in a hands-on production, pilot plant, or R&D manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated ability to operate, troubleshoot, and improve complex mechanical and chemical systems
• Strong data collection and analysis skills to support process development and optimization
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, 24/7 facility with rotating shifts (including occasional nights/weekends)
• Excellent communication skills, self-starting mindset, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment

Nice To Haves

• Experience with early-stage or pilot-scale industrial equipment is a strong plus

Responsibilities

• Operate, monitor, and improve pilot-scale equipment used in critical metal refining and materials processing
• Execute and support experimental production runs, capturing data to validate and optimize new processes
• Perform mechanical and process troubleshooting on custom-built and commercial equipment
• Track and analyze key process metrics to drive performance improvements in yield, throughput, and stability
• Support equipment setup, calibration, and transitions between R&D and production runs
• Collaborate with R&D, Process Engineering, and Operations to translate process designs into practical pilot workflows
• Maintain accurate production logs and technical documentation to support process knowledge transfer
• Drive implementation of process improvements to enhance safety, scalability, and reproducibility
• Ensure rigorous adherence to safety protocols and foster a proactive safety culture on the floor

Benefits

• 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee
• Stock Options
• Unlimited PTO
• Learning and development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees