Hydrometallurgical Engineer - EV Battery Waste Commerical Plant Retrofit

As a skilled Hydrometallurgical Engineer, you'll have responsibility to lead the design, development and implementation of hydrometallurgical processes for the retrofit of a Solvent Extraction-Electrowinning (SX-EW) plant focused on recycling materials from electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

You'll need a strong background in hydrometallurgy, battery recycling, process optimisation and project management. You'll also need to be great at collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful integration of battery recycling processes into an existing plant.

What You'll Do:

Process Design and Optimisation:

o Develop and optimise hydrometallurgical processes for the efficient extraction of valuable materials (e.g. lithium, nickel) from spent EV batteries within the SX-EW plant

o Design and evaluate experimental setups, pilot tests and simulations to identify optimal process parameters and ensure high yield and purity of recovered materials

o Compile Process Flow Diagrams, along with associated mass and energy balance calculations

o Conduct Process review of equipment bids, proposals, and other initiatives.

Retrofit Implementation:

o Lead the technical aspects of the retrofit project, including process design, equipment selection, and modification of the existing SX-EW plant infrastructure.

o Work closely with engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of new processes while maintaining plant safety, compliance, and efficiency.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

o Collect and analyse data from experiments and pilot tests to assess process performance, identify bottlenecks, and propose solutions for improvement

o Prepare regular progress reports and technical documentation to communicate results and recommendations to management and stakeholders.

Project Management:

o Develop project plans, timelines, and budgets, and oversee the execution of the project to ensure timely completion and resource allocation

o Manage external vendors and contractors involved in the retrofit project.

• Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering or a related field


• Proven experience in hydrometallurgical process development and optimisation, particularly in materials recovery from batteries


• Familiarity with Solvent Extraction-Electrowinning (SX-EW) processes and plant operations


• Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead and coordinate complex projects


• Knowledge of environmental and safety regulations related to hydrometallurgical processes


• Effective communication skills to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences


• Innovative mindset and willingness to explore and adopt new technologies


• Prior experience in battery recycling or EV-related industries is a plus, Are you willing to travel to Bulgaria on an occasional basis?


• Do you have a Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field?


• Do you have experience in hydrometallurgical process development and optimisation, particularly in materials recovery from batteries?


• Are you familiar with Solvent Extraction-Electrowinning (SX-EW) processes?
  
  Altilium is a UK-based clean technology group supporting the transformation of the global energy sector from fossil-based to zero-carbon.


Our vision is for a circular and domestic EV battery supply chain, where the critical minerals powering the energy transition are safely recovered from recycling end-of-life EV batteries and mine tailings, saving natural resources and reducing mining.

We are developing the green processing technologies and building at-scale recycling infrastructure to decarbonise the automotive supply chain, providing the lowest carbon, most eco-friendly battery materials for a cleaner transport future.

This is your opportunity to be in at the beginning of the sixth wave industrial revolution, providing circular energy solutions to the UK and Europe as part of a global team.