Principal Process Engineer Role

About Us

Lycopodium Limited is a global engineering and project delivery company that proudly delivers high-quality professional services across various sectors. With offices in Australia, Africa, Canada, Peru, and the Philippines, we have a diverse team of experts who work together to achieve exceptional results.

Job Description

We are seeking a suitably qualified and experienced Senior Process Design Specialist to join our dynamic team. As a key member of our Process Group, you will be responsible for providing high-quality deliverables to our clients while exceeding their expectations and maintaining a high degree of professional integrity and work ethic.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate process engineering activities to ensure they meet the highest quality standards, ethical guidelines, and Company, Client, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and establish design standards in areas of expertise for the process team, ensuring consistency and best practices.
• C coordinate the necessary resources to complete studies on time, within budget, and to the required standard, promoting efficiency and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with personnel across all business units to achieve shared goals and objectives.
• Ensure overall process deliverables are consistently met to a high standard, responding promptly to changes and adapting to new situations.
• Utilize project reporting requirements in accordance with Company and Client standards to maintain accuracy and professionalism.
• Accountable for all Process design functions carried out on designated Projects, whether handled personally or delegated to subordinate staff members.
• Promote best practice process designs in line with project time, budget, and technical requirements, ensuring optimal outcomes.
• Analyse data and its relationship to the process design, applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Manage the process components of scoping, pre-feasibility, and feasibility studies to guarantee thoroughness and appropriateness.
• Carry out peer reviews of specific designs, providing constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Solicit new business opportunities and assist with established client relationships, fostering growth and expansion.
• Develop and contribute to the delivery of improvement initiatives that support business priorities for continuous improvement.
• Mentor engineers-in-training, providing consistent guidance and identifying avenues for development and growth.
• Support other team members as needed to ensure Project deliverables are met, promoting teamwork and collaboration.
• Communicate effectively within the Process Engineering group, ensuring seamless coordination and integration.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and direction to the Process Engineering group as required, leveraging your expertise and experience.
• Travel on an ad-hoc basis to accommodate the needs of the business and its operations.

Your Expertise and Qualifications

• A university degree in Metallurgy, Chemical Engineering, or an equivalent qualification.
• A minimum of 15+ years of experience in mineral processing and/or related industries and post-graduate experience.
• A mix of process plant operations and project development roles within mining companies and contract engineering organizations.
• A South African Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Cape Town based.

Commodity Focus

• Gold and silver – free milling and refractory ores.
• Platinum group metals and chrome.
• Uranium.
• Base metals (copper/lead/zinc/nickel/cobalt) – sulphides in particular, and oxides.
• Battery minerals (graphite/lithium).
• Iron ore (haematite/magnetite).
• Mineral sands (ilmenite/rutile/zircon/monatize).
• Industrial minerals (limestone/barite/talc/gypsum/potash/phosphates/etc).

Unit Process Focus

• Comminution – crushing and screening, HPGR, milling (SAG, ball, rod, attrition) and classification.
• Ore preconcentration – DMS, machine sorting.
• Gravity separation – spirals, centrifugal bowl, tables, jigs.
• Froth flotation – including alternative equipment technologies – Jamieson, Woodgrove, Concorde, etc.
• Electrostatic separation.
• Magnetic separation.
• Dewatering – thickening, filtration, centrifuging.
• Hydrometallurgical operations – leaching, carbon adsorption/desorption, solvent extraction, ion exchange, electrowinning.
• Refractory ore processing – roasting, pressure oxidation, Biox, ultrafine grinding, Albion process.
• Heat exchange – process heating and cooling, crystallisers, dryers.
• Process plant instrumentation and control philosophy.
• Interpretation of mineralogical and metallurgical test work results.

Process Simulation/Digital

• IDEAS or similar software.
• Digital twinning.
• Scenario modelling.
• Solid technical aptitude, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Build and sustain positive relationships with all stakeholders, including clients, vendors, and co-workers.
• Ability to work with people at all levels within an organization and external providers.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multitask and prioritize to a high standard of accuracy and professionalism.
• Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision while consistently producing a high quality of deliverables.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment.
• Demonstrate a strict practice of confidentiality, personal responsibility, and discretion.
• Exemplify and encourage the core values and ethos of the business.
• Provide mentoring and identify avenues of professional development and succession planning for personnel within your group.
• Intuitive leader with the ability to initiate, lead, and manage change in a complex environment.
• Capacity to delegate appropriately.
• Capacity to evaluate work practices, implement systems, and suggest alternatives and refinements where necessary.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve consistently high standards within both budgetary and schedule constraints.
• Well-developed business acumen with the ability to adapt to different business environments.
• High attention to detail and exceptional knowledge of contract law and contract document requirements.
• Ability to travel on an ad-hoc basis to suit the needs of the business and its operations.
• High degree of professional ethics.
• Highly developed negotiation, influencing, analytical, and problem-resolution skills.

Benefits We Offer

Lycopodium has a strong company culture focused on career progression and technical skill development. You can expect to be involved in a wide range of large projects while working amongst a team of highly skilled professionals.

We recognize that everyone is different and needs may change over the course of your career.

That's why we:

• Invest in our people for the long-term, building a diverse and rewarding career, mentored by the best in the industry.
• Allow our people to balance work with other commitments, like family or study, offering flexible work arrangements.
• Are undertaking significant people and technology initiatives that will support the workplace of the future.

We Value Diversity and Inclusion

We encourage and value diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of gender, age, disability, and ethnicity.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Our commitment to equal opportunity is embodied in our values of Respect, Integrity & Diligence. They are inherent in who we are, as individuals, and collectively as a Company.

We Will Respond to Every Applicant

Please submit your CV by clicking the 'Apply' button.