Engineering Technician - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Description

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for an Engineering Technician.

About the Opportunity

The Engineering Technician will support laboratory, pilot-scale, and early commercial hydrometallurgical operations focused on the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from acid mine drainage (AMD) and related feedstocks. This role is hands-on and critical to day-to-day process execution, data collection, and continuous improvement of REE recovery, separation, and purification processes.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Operate and maintain lab-scale and pilot-scale hydrometallurgical equipment (reactors, clarifiers, filters, solvent extraction circuits, precipitation systems).
• Prepare chemical reagents and solutions; conduct controlled leaching, precipitation, and purification experiments.
• Collect, label, and prepare samples for analysis (ICP-OES/MS, titration, pH, conductivity, solids characterization).
• Monitor process parameters (pH, ORP, temperature, flow rates, residence time) and accurately record operational data.
• Support scale-up activities by executing test plans, SOPs, and experimental protocols.
• Assist with troubleshooting process upsets and implementing corrective actions.
• Maintain safe chemical handling practices and ensure EHS compliance.
• Perform routine equipment inspection, cleaning, calibration, and minor maintenance.
• Document results clearly in lab notebooks, databases, and technical reports.
• Always maintain security of data and intellectual property.
• Interface with external customers in a professional manner consistent with WVU policy.

Why This Role Matters

This position directly supports the development of a domestic, environmentally beneficial supply chain for mission-critical rare earth elements-transforming legacy mine waste into strategic materials for U.S. industry and defense.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Chemical Technology, Process Technology, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related field.
• A minimum of two (2) years of hands-on experience in chemical processing, hydrometallurgy, water treatment, or mineral processing (academic lab or industrial) is preferred.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Familiarity with aqueous chemistry, acid/base systems, and solid-liquid separation.
• Ability to follow SOPs and work safely with acids, bases, and metal-bearing solutions.
• Strong attention to detail and data integrity.
• Must hold a valid United States Driver's License.
• Capability to lift up to 50lbs.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with critical minerals or mining-related wastewater (AMD).
• Exposure to solvent extraction or precipitation-based metal recovery.
• Experience supporting pilot plants or demonstration-scale systems.
• Basic understanding of mass balance and process flowsheets.
• Basic mechanical skills and ability to work with basic hand tools.

Physical & Work Environment

• Hands-on laboratory and pilot-plant environment.
• Outdoor field work including but not limited to collecting solid and liquid field samples.
• Required to work on-site in Morgantown WV, Monday through Friday, with limited remote workdays with approval from direct supervisor.
• Travel required.
• Use of PPE required.