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Salary: USD 70,000 - 180,000 / annual
Phoenix Tailings is a clean mining and metals production startup building domestic capacity for rare earth processing and separation. The company is developing the Freedom Facility in Rochester, New York—a commercial-scale rare earth separation facility designed to process and separate rare earth materials essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, aerospace, and defense applications.
As a Process Engineer, you will provide technical expertise to operate and improve the separations circuit at the Freedom Facility. You will combine process chemistry, operating data, test work, and field observations to diagnose problems and recommend changes that enhance recovery, stability, and product quality.
Key responsibilities include:
- Analyzing process chemistry, operating trends, and recovery results to identify performance gaps and recommend operating adjustments
- Walking the circuit with operators to troubleshoot process and equipment issues and translating findings into clear field direction
- Planning and running or coordinating test work to evaluate separation performance and validate proposed process changes
- Developing and maintaining mass and energy balances, process flow diagrams, and operating procedures that support consistent plant performance
- Supporting commissioning and startup by evaluating process results and providing technical guidance to control room and field operators
This role offers an opportunity to help prepare a new facility for startup and support the operators who will run it. Early-career engineers with a strong technical foundation and interest in hands-on plant work are encouraged to apply. The company is currently meeting with candidates interested in joining as the facility develops toward operations in 2027 and 2028.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Chemistry, or closely related field
- Knowledge of chemical separations, mass and energy balances, and process chemistry; familiarity with solvent extraction, leaching, or precipitation is highly valued
- Hands-on experience with process equipment, experiments, or technical troubleshooting through internships, co-ops, research, or industry roles
- Ability to analyze operating and experimental data using Excel or similar tools, prepare clear process documentation, and explain recommended changes to operators
