Chief Metallurgist

Brooks & Nelson’s client is seeking a Chief Metallurgist. THE OPPORTUNITY The Chief Metallurgist is a senior technical and operational leader responsible for providing strategic metallurgical direction, critical input to restart design and engineering, hands-on technical expertise, and people leadership. This Superintendent level role will be instrumental in supporting the site through evaluation, planning, project start-up, and restart activities by building strong metallurgical systems, recruiting and developing talent, and partnering across departments to deliver safe, practical, and innovative processing solutions. The position requires a proven leader who can navigate ambiguity, overcome operational and technical challenges, and translate metallurgical strategy into executable plans. The successful candidate will bring deep mineral processing experience, sound business judgment, and the ability to mentor teams, influence stakeholders, and drive continuous improvement in metal recovery, process reliability, project execution, and operational readiness. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Provide senior leadership and strategic technical direction for metallurgical, maintenance and processing activities, with a focus on safe restart readiness, operational excellence, and long-term process performance. Lead, mentor, and develop metallurgical and laboratory team members by setting clear expectations, aligning individual goals with site priorities, providing timely performance feedback, and supporting career growth through coaching, training, and succession planning. Champion a strong safety culture by promoting safe work practices and ensuring compliance with environmental and regulatory requirements. Define, monitor, and communicate process performance targets and technical limits to support stable and optimized operations. Lead complex metallurgical troubleshooting efforts, applying sound technical judgment and creative problem-solving to overcome process inefficiencies, bottlenecks, recovery challenges, and restart-related constraints. Oversee metallurgical testing programs, including design, execution, and interpretation of results to support process optimization. Lead and maintain accurate metallurgical accounting systems, including daily, monthly, and annual production reporting. Provide technical oversight of sampling systems, on-stream analyzers, and laboratory services to ensure data accuracy and reliability. Collaborate closely with Operations, Maintenance, Geology, Mine Engineering, Environmental, and site leadership to align processing strategies with ore characteristics, production objectives, project priorities, and business needs. Lead and support strategic process improvement initiatives, including evaluation and implementation of innovative technologies, alternate operating strategies, and practical solutions that improve recovery, reliability, cost performance, and operational readiness. Oversee metallurgical and process-related projects from concept through execution, including scoping, budgeting, forecasting, risk identification, commissioning support, ramp-up planning, performance tracking, and post-implementation review. Build technical capability across the organization by mentoring metallurgical, laboratory, operations, and cross-functional personnel, sharing best practices, and fostering a culture of accountability, curiosity, continuous learning, and operational discipline. Support budgeting, forecasting, and cost management activities related to processing and metallurgical performance. Foster a high-performance culture that values safety, innovation, data-driven decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to challenge existing practices in pursuit of better results. QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering or a related process discipline. 15+ years of progressive metallurgical or process engineering experience within a mining or mineral processing environment, preferably including gold processing, complex operations, project start-up, commissioning, ramp-up, or restart experience. Dry grinding and roasting experience preferred. Demonstrated success leading metallurgical functions at a senior level, including process optimization, troubleshooting, metal accounting, technical reporting, project execution, and operational readiness. Strong understanding of mineral processing principles including comminution, refractory treatment techniques, recovery optimization, and process control. Experience managing metallurgical testing programs and interpreting technical data to drive process designs and operational improvements. Proven ability to mentor, coach, and influence technical and operational teams while building trust, accountability, and effective working relationships across departments. Experience with production reporting, budgeting, and forecasting related to processing performance. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex technical data into actionable insights. Effective communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Demonstrated commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and continuous improvement. Strategic, innovative thinker with demonstrated ability to evaluate new technologies, improve existing systems, overcome operational challenges, and translate ideas into practical, sustainable improvements. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in English with respect to job assignments, job procedures, and applicable safety standards required. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. #J-18808-Ljbffr