Chemical Development Engineer I

Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly growing clean mining and metals production startup dedicated to sustainable and economic critical metals production. They are seeking a Junior Chemical Engineer to support the design, execution, and analysis of rare earth element processing technologies.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute laboratory-scale experiments across the rare earth extraction and metallization process flowsheet
• Build and validate process models including comprehensive mass and energy balances
• Optimize chloride leaching, dissolution, and filtration operations to improve efficiency and product quality
• Support the development of advanced separation techniques for REE purification and concentration
• Develop robust precipitation processes for conversion of rare earth chlorides into high-purity oxides
• Contribute to early-stage metallization process R&D for converting oxides into individual rare earth metals
• Analyze experimental data and use findings to drive iterative improvements to the process
• Specify and evaluate equipment required for pilot and commercial-scale implementation
• Document all research procedures, findings, and recommendations with technical precision
• Ensure all experiments and development efforts align with EH&S and sustainability standards

Skills

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field
• 1–3 years of experience in chemical or metallurgical process development (internships and co-op experience welcome)
• Familiarity with mass and energy balances, process modeling, and basic process calculations
• Experience interpreting or developing PFDs and P&IDs
• Hands-on experience with laboratory or pilot-scale chemical equipment
• Comfortable using tools for data analysis and reporting (Excel, Python, or similar)
• Solid communication skills and ability to clearly document technical work
• Driven by curiosity, mission, and a desire to help solve one of the most important resource challenges of our time
• Familiarity with rare earth chemistry or hydrometallurgy is a plus

Benefits

• 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company.
• Parental leave and flexibility for families.
• Flexible vacation policy to encourage people to get out and see the world.
• Regularly scheduled events, and celebrations.
• Learning and development Opportunities to grow your skills and career.
• Working with fun, hard-working, kind people committed to making a difference!
• We are results-focused. We don’t work at the office every day.

Company Overview

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