Director of Hydrometallurgy

Reports to: VP of Engineering Close collaboration with: Electrochemistry, Process Modeling, R&D, and Pilot teams Location: Kenilworth, NJ Salary starts at $217,000 Equity grant reflecting the seniority and trust of the role Competitive Benefits Position Summary Still Bright is bringing the first viable hydrometallurgical alternative to copper smelting to market at a moment when global copper demand is outpacing supply by historic margins. Our proprietary RACER (Rapid and Complete Electrochemical Reduction) process delivers fast, complete copper extraction while recovering precious and critical co-products, and as a closed-loop system it offers precise control over outputs and radically reduces environmental impact. Backed by top-tier investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Material Impact, the team is moving from pilot execution into the next stages of commercial deployment. The Director of Hydrometallurgy is accountable for executing Still Bright’s hydrometallurgical strategy and delivering the experimental, technical, and team outcomes required for successful pilot operation, scale-up, and feedstock diversification. This role serves as the technical owner of hydrometallurgical performance through integrated pilot execution, translating laboratory insight into reliable system-level operation and enabling the transition toward demonstration and commercial deployment. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role: the person in this seat is in the lab and on the pilot system regularly, not exclusively in supervisory mode. Working in close alignment with senior technical leadership, the Director independently drives execution, leads and develops a high‑performing team of engineers and senior technicians, manages consultants and external partners, mitigates technical and operational risks, and ensures environmental and ethical responsibility. The role defines operating envelopes, guides commissioning and troubleshooting, and makes data‑driven decisions that determine pilot readiness and scale‑up direction. Key Responsibilities Lead day‑to‑day execution of process development and engineering work across the pilot system, including experimental design, scheduling, data collection, and analysis. Manage a team of hydrometallurgical engineers and senior technicians, with direct responsibility for performance management, professional development, and technical mentorship. Lead technical readiness and execution of integrated pilot campaigns, including commissioning, troubleshooting, and performance optimization. Define operating parameters, control strategies, and process stability criteria required for sustained pilot operation, and own go/no‑go technical decisions related to pilot configuration, feedstock suitability, and scale‑up risk. Predict metallurgical and chemical challenges and opportunities for different feedstock opportunities, as well as upstream and downstream mining processes. Own bench‑level execution of site‑specific feedstock testing: ore characterization protocols, recovery curve generation, deleterious‑element handling experiments, and the data work that feeds the company’s economic models. Act as a resident expert for the business and technical teams on all things copper processing, helping integrate RACER seamlessly with mining operations and typical processing considerations. Own quality control of experimental data and technical documentation—data integrity, calibration discipline, reproducibility of experimental conditions, and clean record‑keeping that supports decision‑making and future audit defensibility. Uphold excellence in experimentation plans, laboratory procedures and safety, and research records. Working mostly in‑person is required to ensure proper oversight of laboratory work. Definition of Success In the first 12 months, success looks like: a reliably executing engineering team producing high‑quality experimental work on schedule; site‑specific feedstock testing programs for at least one demonstration site executed cleanly; the demonstration‑unit process design advancing from concept through detailed engineering with the team’s work as the load‑bearing technical foundation; and clean documentation and process know‑how transferred to commissioning as the first demonstration unit moves into field deployment. Qualifications & Experience Expected Competencies Bachelor’s degree in metallurgy, geology, chemical engineering, or a related field (Master’s preferred). Minimum of 10 years of industrial experience, including 1–2 years at the Director level or 3–4 years at the manager level, in hydrometallurgy or process engineering within the mining or metallurgy industry. Direct people management experience leading a team of engineers or senior technicians on technical execution work. Excellent understanding of copper mineralogy and processing, especially hydrometallurgical methods and emerging technologies. Demonstrated hands‑on contributor capability: comfortable being in the lab and on the pilot system regularly. Strong experimental design, data analysis, and project‑management discipline—schedules, milestones, resource allocation, and clear progress reporting. Comfort in a startup or scale‑up environment where infrastructure and processes are still being built. Some travel will be required for pilot and feedstock testing. Strongly Preferred Experience Direct experience with pilot‑plant or demonstration‑scale metallurgical systems, including commissioning, operation, and troubleshooting. Proven track record translating bench‑scale results into pilot‑scale performance, and integrating multiple unit operations into a continuous or semi‑continuous process. Additional consideration for experience managing copper ore impurities such as arsenic, bismuth, and gold. Experience with one or more of: vanadium electrochemistry, sulfide leaching chemistry, solvent extraction–electrowinning, continuous stirred tank reactor design and operation. Familiarity with process controls, instrumentation, and real‑time performance monitoring. Internal promotion candidates: existing context on the RACER process, team relationships, and demonstrated execution capability. Nice‑to‑Have Leadership of a pilot campaign through sustained operation or scale‑up decision milestones. Contribution to demo‑plant design, studies, or commercial deployment readiness. Familiarity with quality management systems (ISO 9001 or equivalent) and document control discipline. Spanish‑language proficiency. Still Bright provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Still Bright complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Still Bright expressly prohibits and will never tolerate any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Still Bright especially encourages applicants from historically marginalized communities to join our mission of sustainable metals extraction. #J-18808-Ljbffr Activate