Senior Process Engineer

Cyclic Materials is building a resilient circular supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical materials. Through our fully integrated proprietary technology platform, we recover rare earths from end-of-life products and transform them into high-purity materials used to produce new permanent magnets. These magnets are critical to the modern economy, underpinning AI, automotive, e-mobility, electronics, semiconductor, energy, defense, and other advanced manufacturing sectors.

Founded in 2021, Cyclic Materials has rapidly become a category leader in rare earth recovery, achieving commercial operations in less than five years. We currently operate facilities in Ontario and Arizona, with further expansion underway in South Carolina. Backed by investment accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., alongside strategic investors including Microsoft, Amazon, Hitachi Ventures, BMW i Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s InMotion fund, Energy Impact Partners, ArcTern Ventures, and Fifth Wall, we are scaling quickly and building the industrial backbone required to meet growing global demand for a secure and sustainable supply of rare earths.

We have established an extensive and growing network of commercial partnerships with global industry leaders such as Solvay, Vattenfall, Lime, and VACUUMSCHMELZE, enabling the rapid deployment of recycled rare earth materials into real-world supply chains. Joining Cyclic Materials means tackling complex and exciting challenges at scale alongside a team committed to strong execution and measurable impact. If you are motivated by building critical infrastructure and advancing the circular economy, join us and help accelerate the growth of rare earth recycling.

Position Summary

The Senior Process Development Engineer will support the development and commercialization of Cyclic’s Hub and Spoke process technologies. This role sits at the interface of R&D, process technology, pilot work, and process engineering. The successful candidate will help build process understanding, organize technical data, support process design development, and improve how knowledge is captured and applied across projects.

The successful candidate will develop process understanding from first principles, translate laboratory and pilot results into commercial process designs, and establish the technical standards, design basis, and engineering knowledge required to support future commercial plants. The role will provide the process engineering basis for future FEED, detailed design, commissioning, and operational optimization while building Cyclic's long-term technical knowledge base. This position also plays a central role in mentoring junior engineers and strengthening engineering capability across the organization.

What You Will Be Doing

• Lead development of new process technologies from laboratory through pilot and commercial implementation.
• Develop process understanding using first-principles engineering, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, process modelling, and experimental data.
• Plan, execute, and interpret laboratory and pilot metallurgical testwork, translating results into commercial process designs.
• Identify technology gaps, scale-up risks, and opportunities for process innovation.

Process Engineering & Design

• Develop Process Design Criteria (PDCs), process descriptions, mass and energy balances, Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), and process models.
• Develop process simulation models using SysCAD, Aspen Plus, METSIM, IDEAS, or equivalent software.
• Support development and review of P&IDs, process control philosophies, equipment sizing, equipment specifications, and technical design reports.
• Develop design basis documentation to support FEED, detailed engineering, procurement, commissioning, and startup.

Commercialization & Technical Leadership

• Support technology transfer to Engineering, Operations, and Capital Projects through design, commissioning, startup, and early commercial operation.
• Lead process optimization studies to improve recovery, yield, operability, reagent consumption, energy efficiency, and capital performance.
• Participate in HAZID, HAZOP, process safety reviews, and engineering design reviews.
• Evaluate process alternatives, equipment selections, and scale-up strategies through technical and economic trade-off studies.

Collaboration & Knowledge Development

• Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Project teams to develop and commercialize new technologies.
• Develop technical standards, engineering guidelines, and design basis documentation for future commercial plants.
• Mentor junior engineers and strengthen technical capability across the Process Technology team.
• Prepare technical reports, engineering documentation, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Mineral Processing, or related discipline.
• 4-8 years of experience in process development, hydrometallurgy, mineral processing, process engineering, or commercialization of new technologies.
• Strong background in hydrometallurgical process development and scale-up.
• Demonstrated experience leading metallurgical testwork and pilot plant programs.
• Experience supporting pilot plant operations, commissioning, startup, or commercial plant performance validation.
• Extensive experience developing commercial process designs from laboratory and pilot data.
• Strong understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals, reaction engineering, thermodynamics, mass transfer, transport phenomena, and process modelling.
• Experience developing Process Design Criteria and other core process engineering deliverables.
• Experience with process simulation software such as SysCAD, Aspen Plus, METSIM, IDEAS, or equivalent.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary technical teams and mentor junior engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with metallurgical testwork, pilot plant operations, or process development programs.
• Exposure to hydrometallurgical or mineral processing unit operations.
• Experience with SysCAD or similar process modelling tools.
• Experience with rare earths or other critical materials is an asset.

Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation or eligibility in Ontario.

Who You Are

• Passionate about developing new technologies and bringing them to commercial reality.
• Comfortable leading ambiguous technical problems through structured engineering analysis.
• Naturally curious and driven to understand processes from first principles.
• Collaborative and able to influence across R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Project teams.
• Organized and committed to building lasting technical knowledge within the organization.

Motivated by mentoring others and raising technical capability across the team.

Pay Range

$115,000—$145,000 CAD

Why You Will Love Cyclic Materials  

• At Cyclic Materials, we're dedicated to supporting our workforce on their unique career journey
• We offer a competitive compensation package including Health and Dental coverage, RRSP (Canada)/ 401K (USA) contributions and a generous paid time off program that lets you recharge
• We value diversity and are committed to maintaining a workplace where everyone is respected and recognized for their contributions

The base compensation offered is determined based on the successful candidate’s relevant experience, skills, and competencies and considers internal equity.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Cyclic Materials is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all individuals have an opportunity to succeed. If you require accommodation at any stage of the interview process, please email [email protected]. Applicants for roles in Canada or the United States must be authorized to work in the applicable country without current or future sponsorship from Cyclic Materials, including for an H1-B visa, F-1 visa (OPT), TN, L1-A visa, or any other non-immigrant status.

To all applicants, your interest and effort are sincerely appreciated. While we thank everyone for their application, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.