Technical Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Interplay • Arlington, TX

80d

About The Position

We are launching a venture to commercialize short-loop recycling technology and establish the first fully circular, domestically controlled rare-earth magnet supply chain. Our goal is to identify and secure rights to a process for recovering high-purity NdFeB magnetic powder directly from industrial swarf and end-of-life magnets. Sovereign Materials is a new force in the rare-earth elements (REE) industry, dedicated to ending U.S. dependence on hostile foreign powers for critical minerals while maximizing value for stakeholders. As the Technical Co-Founder and CTO, you will be the company’s technical authority. Your mission is to rapidly identify and transition a proven process—via licensed IP—into a secure, scalable, and profitable industrial platform. You will own the technical roadmap from pilot-plant commissioning through full commercial rollout (targeting 1,000+ TPA capacity).

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (preferred) or Extractive Metallurgy, with a focus on advanced separation techniques.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience, including at least 3 years in a senior leadership role (VP or Director) within high-value industrial chemical processing, rare-earth, or specialty-chemicals environments.
• Expert-level, verifiable experience designing and scaling industrial electrochemical and/or hydrometallurgical processes.
• Proven experience managing and successfully commissioning at least one multi-million-dollar CAPEX project.
• Expert knowledge of industrial safety protocols related to concentrated chemical processing and high-purity chemical handling.
• Bias to action—you’re more of a doer than a researcher and not beholden to perfection.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with rare-earth elements or the high-purity chemical segment of the magnet value chain.
• Familiarity with government funding applications (e.g., DOE grants, DPA Title III).
• Experience in a venture-backed startup or small, highly dynamic team.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical due diligence, assessment, and commercial negotiation for licensing core rare-earth separation technologies.
• Translate licensed protocols into a robust, industrial-scale, continuous process-flow design with detailed mass and energy balances, focused on REE separation.
• Serve as the internal expert on electrochemical process optimization, hydrometallurgy (wet chemistry), and REE separation.
• Lead EPC management for the initial Modular Commercial Plant (Phase I MVP), ensuring the 50–100 TPA facility is delivered on time and within budget.
• Define technical requirements and the CAPEX strategy for the subsequent 1,000+ TPA commercial facility (Phase II), optimizing for cost efficiency and modularity.
• Drive continuous improvement to maximize REE yield, minimize liquid/chemical waste, and reduce energy consumption.
• Select and manage key equipment suppliers to ensure quality and efficiency.
• Establish rigorous QA/QC protocols and in-house lab capabilities to verify the purity of incoming feedstock and the final separated rare-earth oxides.
• Develop and enforce strict safety standards for industrial electrochemical cells and chemical processing; ensure compliance with all applicable codes.
• Ensure all processing and waste streams comply with stringent environmental regulations, leveraging the 'green premium' of the licensed technology.
• Present technical progress, risks, and milestones clearly to the board, investors, and strategic partners.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree