Process Engineer (Development/ Scale-Up)

Process Engineer (Process Development / Scale-Up)


Reports to: Director of Engineering & Projects

Location: Houston, TX

Job Type: Permanent/ Full-Time

Work Schedule: In-office, 1-day WFH (work from home)

Sector: Critical Minerals/ Mining/ Energy Transition

NES Fircroft is a leading global workforce solutions provider specializing in engineering and technical talent across the energy, infrastructure, industrial, and marine sectors. We partner with organizations delivering critical projects worldwide, connecting exceptional professionals with opportunities that drive innovation and operational excellence.
Our client, a fast-growing engineering technology startup, is seeking a Process Engineer (Development/ Scale-Up) to support the design, scale-up, and optimization of advanced process technologies across critical minerals, specialty chemical processing, and industrial separation applications. This is a permanent opportunity based in Houston, TX

Job Summary

Our client is seeking a Process Engineer to support the design, scale-up, and optimization of advanced process technologies supporting critical minerals and industrial separation applications. Reporting to the Director of Engineering & Projects, this individual will lead process design, commercialization, and optimization efforts while supporting projects from concept through commissioning. The ideal candidate will have experience with iodine extraction, lithium brine processing, and complex chemical separation systems involving corrosive process streams and temperature-sensitive operations.
This opportunity is ideal for an engineer who enjoys taking emerging technologies from concept through commercialization while working on projects supporting the energy transition and critical minerals industries.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and optimize chemical process systems from concept through commercial deployment.
• Develop engineering deliverables including PFDs, P&IDs, mass and energy balances, equipment specifications, and process calculations.
• Develop process control philosophies and support automation strategies.
• Coordinate engineering design activities with third-party engineering firms and vendors.

• Develop commercial-scale process designs and establish scale-up methodologies.
• Lead process engineering for modular and skid-mounted systems.
• Support fabrication, installation, commissioning, and startup activities.
• Improve sizing models and cost estimation tools to enhance proposal and project accuracy.
• Design systems capable of handling variable feed chemistries and operating conditions.
• Develop pretreatment systems including:
  • Filtration
  • Chemical dosing
  • Phase separation
• Integrate process systems with upstream and downstream operations.

• Serve as the lead Process Engineer on technology development and commercialization projects.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering and technical teams to ensure technologies are scalable and operationally reliable.
• Support business development activities through process design, technical proposals, and cost estimates.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in process engineering, process design, or technology scale-up.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience with critical minerals recovery, lithium, iodine, or other specialty separations, solvent extractions and separations.
• Demonstrated experience designing or optimizing chemical processes involving complex brine systems, with strong expertise in iodine extraction and/or lithium brine processing.
• Experience designing processes involving corrosive service, phase separation, heat transfer, and temperature-dependent chemical operations.
• Previous experience supporting the commercialization of new process technologies from design phase through scale-up and pilot plant.

• Experience processing produced water or complex feed streams is a plus.
• Experience with process simulation software such as: Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Plus, or UniSim

Why Work Here

• Join a funded growth-stage technology company backed by an established, revenue-generating industrial processing business, offering the innovation of a scaling organization with the stability of an operating platform.
• Be a Builder - play a key role, that is hands-on in commercializing innovative process technologies.
• Work on projects supporting the growing critical minerals and energy transition sectors.
• Gain exposure to a broad range of advanced separation and chemical processing technologies.
• Join a collaborative engineering environment focused on innovation, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package.

This is an excellent opportunity to become part of a fast-growing critical minerals technology company. The successful applicant will receive a competitive compensation package including base salary, annual bonus target, medical benefits, life insurance, PTO, holidays, and more. If interested in learning more about this opportunity, please apply directly or contact Mishu Ventura at NES Fircroft for a confidential discussion.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.