Manager, NPI (Mineral Extraction)

Job Overview • Own and lead the development of Gradiant’s mineral extraction technologies from laboratory concept through pilot validation, scale-up and commercial deployment, covering extraction, purification, concentration and conversion to the final products. • Set the technical direction across extraction routes (e.g. sorbents/ion exchange, solvent extraction, membranes, precipitation/crystallization), lead the R&D team, and serve as the technical authority for customers, partners and internal project teams. Duties/Responsibilities Technology strategy and roadmap • Define and own the technology roadmap for mineral extraction, purification and conversion, aligned with business and market needs. • Benchmark competing technologies, evaluate new chemistries (sorbents, extractants, membranes) and partner technologies, and drive IP generation. Lead R&D team and manage projects • Lead and mentor the R&D team across SG and AD Labs (scientists, engineers and interns); set priorities and guide experimental design and data analysis. • Oversee planning, budgets, execution and tracking of projects and procurement; liaise with vendors, contractors and internal groups; prepare key presentations and reports for leadership. Process development and flowsheet design • Develop and optimize mineral extraction flowsheets for high recovery and selectivity over competing ions (e.g. Na, K, Mg, Ca, B), including impurity control, reagent/solvent management and recycle streams. • Perform process modelling, mass and energy balances and techno-economic inputs to produce high-purity final product. Scale-up and technology transfer • Lead the progression from lab and bench scale to pilot and demonstration; design, procure and commission pilot units. • Resolve scale-up challenges (e.g. phase separation, solvent loss, sorbent lifetime, fouling, impurity build-up, process stability) and prepare process design packages for engineering and project teams. Commercialization and customer support • Lead end-to-end application studies on real feeds (brines, produced water, leachates) from feasibility through process validation. • Support proposals, feasibility studies and performance guarantees; provide on-site commissioning, troubleshooting and optimization at customer plants. Partnerships and stakeholder engagement • Build and manage collaborations with customers, technology providers, universities and suppliers to accelerate technology validation and deployment. • Represent Gradiant’s mineral extraction technology in technical discussions with customers, partners and at industry forums. Qualification, Skills & Experience • Ph.D. in Chemical or Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Hydrometallurgy, Materials Science or a related discipline. • Master’s degree with a strong industrial critical-minerals track record will also be considered. • Deep expertise in at least one mineral extraction route (solvent extraction, ion exchange/adsorption, membranes or precipitation/crystallization), with working knowledge of the others. • Process modelling and flowsheet design(mass/energy balances; tools such as Aspen, OLI or PHREEQC) and analytical methods (ICP-OES/MS, IC). • Strong leadership, communication and customer-facing skills; able to translate technical results into business decisions. • 10+ years in critical-minerals process development, including 3+ years leading technical teams. • Proven track record taking a technology from lab through pilot to commercial or industrial operation. • Hands-on experience in plant commissioning, troubleshooting and optimization, and in technology transfer to engineering or customers. • Experience with industrial water/wastewater treatment and international customers is an advantage. • Preferred, not mandatory: Professional Engineer(PE/P.Eng), PMP, Lean Six Sigma or equivalent.