Role Overview
Reporting to the VP Engineering, the Lead Processing and Metallurgist is responsible for coordinating the process and metallurgy team and engineering activities performed by NexGen, consultants and 3rd Parties. The Lead Project Metallurgist will work collaboratively with the NexGen Integrated Project team (IPT) to ensure technical excellence is achieved.
The Lead Processing and Metallurgist will oversee and guide the development and quality of process engineering deliverables ensuring they meet the project’s scope and are delivered on schedule and budget. Facilities within the area of accountability include process plant, effluent treatment plant, acid plant, metallurgical and analytical laboratories, and related surface infrastructure.
The Lead Processing and Metallurgist will also oversee metallurgical tests to inform decisions of engineering design; fulfill requirements of environmental risk assessment and licensing.
The Lead Processing and Metallurgist will also oversee all analytical laboratory design, testing, conformance requirements and staffing requirements. This includes development of Standard Operating Procedures to ensure conformance with all governing agencies.
The role requires the development of solutions in areas of the above facilities and scope across various systems, unit operations, and process equipment. In addition, the Lead Process Engineer will liaise with other discipline leads to ensure the process and project intent of the plant is maintained throughout the design life.
Key Responsibilities
(Including but not limited to)
- Provide support to, and work collaboratively with other technical / business units on developing a thorough understanding of the project requirements and roadmaps related to scope, schedule, and budget.
- Participate in consultant / vendor engineering activities, including technical reviews of metallurgy and processing drawings and documents.
- Coordinate metallurgy and processing engineering activities related to associated facilities.
- Participate and contribute to perform studies, risk assessment, process safety, trade-off studies, and cost analyses.
- Development of paste tailings recipes and related environmental monitoring program.
- Ensure that licensing, EA, and all other permitting requirements are appropriately integrated into the engineering workflows, collaborating with the EA/Licensing teams.
- Work collaboratively with the project leadership team to incorporate operational readiness consideration into the design and engineering deliverables.
- Participate in necessary engineering and design workshops (i.e., HAZOPs, HAZIDs, etc.) throughout the project phase.
- Manage NexGen metallurgy and processing team and consultants.
- Coordinate and guide the development of process engineering deliverables and tasks including test work, design basis, design criteria, mass and energy balance, capacity studies, trade-off studies, engineering and equipment calculations, piping and instrumentations diagrams, process control logic, and operating and capital cost estimates.
- Facilitate bringing all required technical expertise to the design to ensure design quality objectives are achieved and the process solution must be delivered as per NexGen requirements. Utilize Subject Matter Expert (SME) expertise for input and confirmation of engineering designs.
- Performs most assignments independently. Receives technical guidance from SME or co-workers on unusual or complex problems and supervisory approval on proposed plans for projects.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical and or Hydrometallurgical Engineering.
- 20+ years of operation experience preferred in the uranium mining sector.
- Good understanding of mass/energy balance; process & instrumentation control.
- Experience in metallurgical test work development and execution.
- Experience in budget planning and project execution.
- Experience in Uranium processing.
Preferred Experience
- Tailings deposition.
- Experience in tailings geochemistry characterization.
- Experience in developing geochemical models (eg. PHREEQC, GWB) would be an asset.
- Familiarity with Design of Experiment (DoE) approach and interpretation of process optimization.
- Good understanding of commissioning methodologies.
- Experience in engineering planning for the process engineering discipline.
- Experience working on a major project in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Ability to travel to site on a rotational basis
- Knowledge of CNSC (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) regulations.
Core Competencies
- Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical and or Hydrometallurgical Engineering.
- 20+ years of operation experience preferred in the uranium mining sector.
- Good understanding of mass/energy balance; process & instrumentation control.
- Experience in metallurgical test work development and execution.
- Experience in budget planning and project execution.
- Experience in Uranium processing.
Preferred Experience
- Tailings deposition.
- Experience in tailings geochemistry characterization.
- Experience in developing geochemical models (eg. PHREEQC, GWB) would be an asset.
- Familiarity with Design of Experiment (DoE) approach and interpretation of process optimization.
- Good understanding of commissioning methodologies.
- Experience in engineering planning for the process engineering discipline.
- Experience working on a major project in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Ability to travel to site on a rotational basis
- Knowledge of CNSC (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) regulations.
About NexGen
NexGen Energy is a Canadian company focused on optimally developing the Rook I Project into the largest, low-cost producing uranium mine globally, incorporating the highest levels of environmental and social governance. The Company has a strong portfolio of highly prospective projects, including the Company's 100% owned Rook I property that is host to the high-grade Arrow Deposit (discovered February, 2014), South Arrow (discovered July, 2017), Harpoon (discovered August, 2016), Bow (discovered March, 2015), and the Cannon area (discovered April, 2016).
NexGen is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NXE and on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol NXG, and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with an operations office in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.