Process / Project Engineer – Pilot Plant

Position Title: Process / Project Engineer – Pilot Plant
Employment Type: Full-time
Location: Monash Innovation Labs, Clayton, Victoria
Reports To: Process Design Manager
Key Interfaces: Pilot Plant Project Manager, Engineering Team, R&D Team, Operations, Equipment Vendors, Fabricators and Contractors
Travel: National and international travel will be required
Level: Engineer to Senior Engineer

Position Purpose

The Process / Project Engineer – Pilot Plant will support the detailed design, procurement, fabrication, installation and commissioning of ElectraLith’s pilot plant programs.

Working closely with the Process Design Manager and Pilot Plant Project Manager, the role will help translate process designs and technology development requirements into practical, safe, operable and reliable pilot-scale systems.

This is a hands-on engineering position suited to an engineer who enjoys working across the full engineering lifecycle — from process calculations, P&IDs and equipment specifications through to vendor engagement, installation, commissioning and plant troubleshooting.

The role will provide an important interface between process design and project execution, helping ensure pilot plants are technically sound, delivered successfully and capable of generating the operational and performance data required to support technology scale-up.

Experience in pilot plants, commissioning, crystallisation, lithium refining, hydrometallurgy or high-purity chemical processing will be particularly highly regarded.

Key Responsibilities

Process and Detailed Engineering

Support the Process Design Manager in the development and detailed engineering of pilot plant systems, including:

• Development and review of Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs).

• Development and review of Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs).

• Preparation and checking of mass and energy balances.

• Process equipment sizing and selection.

• Pump, piping, valve and hydraulic calculations.

• Development of equipment and instrument datasheets.

• Preparation of process and equipment specifications.

• Development of utility requirements and design criteria.

• Review of piping, equipment layouts and 3D plant models.

• Preparation and review of engineering calculations.

• Preparation of operating philosophies and operating procedures.

• Support development of control, instrumentation and automation requirements.

• Participation in design reviews and multidisciplinary engineering workshops.

Pilot Plant Project Delivery

Work collaboratively with the Pilot Plant Project Manager to ensure successful delivery of pilot plant projects.

Responsibilities will include:

• Translating process requirements into practical engineering packages.

• Supporting preparation of equipment procurement packages.

• Preparing and reviewing technical RFQs.

• Undertaking technical evaluation of vendor proposals.

• Reviewing vendor drawings, calculations and documentation.

• Coordinating technical queries with equipment suppliers and fabricators.

• Supporting fabrication and equipment inspections.

• Reviewing equipment for compliance with project specifications.

• Supporting equipment integration into pilot plant systems.

• Resolving engineering issues that arise during fabrication, installation and commissioning.

The role will provide technical engineering support to the Project Manager but will not have primary responsibility for project budgets, commercial management or project controls.

Installation and Commissioning

Provide hands-on engineering support through the construction and commissioning phases of pilot plant projects.

Activities may include:

• Supporting equipment installation and mechanical completion.

• Development of commissioning plans and procedures.

• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).

• Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).

• Pre-commissioning inspections and system checks.

• Equipment and instrument verification.

• Water commissioning and functional testing.

• Process commissioning.

• Performance testing.

• Troubleshooting process and mechanical issues.

• Supporting optimisation of pilot plant operation.

• Identifying and implementing engineering improvements arising from commissioning and operating experience.

The successful candidate will be willing and able to work hands-on with pilot equipment during assembly, commissioning, troubleshooting and plant trials.

Technology Scale-Up and Continuous Improvement

Support the transition of ElectraLith technology from laboratory and development scale into increasingly larger pilot and demonstration systems.

This may include:

• Working with R&D and engineering teams to convert experimental results into practical process designs.

• Identifying scale-up risks and engineering constraints.

• Evaluating alternative equipment and process configurations.

• Supporting pilot trials and data collection.

• Analysing operating data and identifying opportunities for process improvement.

• Incorporating lessons learned from pilot operation into subsequent designs.

• Assisting in the development of engineering standards and design practices for future commercial-scale systems.

Technical Areas of Interest

Experience in any of the following areas will be highly regarded:

• Lithium extraction and refining.

• Lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate production.

• Hydrometallurgical processing.

• Crystallisation.

• Evaporation.

• Precipitation and reaction systems.

• Solid-liquid separation.

• Filtration and centrifugation.

• Drying systems.

• High-purity chemical processing.

• Membrane separation processes.

• Chemical dosing systems.

• Pilot and demonstration-scale process plants.

Experience with crystallisation, evaporation and/or downstream lithium refining processes will be viewed particularly favourably.

Safety and Engineering Responsibilities

The Process / Project Engineer will be expected to apply appropriate engineering and process safety principles throughout design and project execution.

Responsibilities include:

• Designing equipment and systems with safety, operability and maintainability in mind.

• Participating in HAZOPs, design risk reviews and other engineering risk assessments.

• Identifying process and equipment hazards during design.

• Supporting appropriate management of hazardous chemicals, pressure systems, temperature, electrical and mechanical hazards.

• Ensuring engineering designs consider applicable Australian Standards, regulatory requirements and accepted engineering practice.

• Supporting Management of Change processes where design modifications occur.

• Promoting safe commissioning and operational practices.

The role will operate within ElectraLith's occupational health and safety systems and applicable Victorian requirements, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and associated regulations.

Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Minerals Processing Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.

• Demonstrated ability to undertake engineering design and technical problem solving.

• Strong understanding of process equipment and industrial plant systems.

• Ability to prepare and interpret engineering drawings, calculations, specifications and technical documentation.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively across engineering, project and operational teams.

• Willingness to work hands-on during pilot plant construction, commissioning and operation.

• Willingness and ability to undertake national and international travel.

Experience

Applications are encouraged from candidates at Engineer through to Senior Engineer level.

The ideal candidate is likely to have approximately 3–10+ years of relevant engineering experience, although demonstrated capability and relevant project experience will be considered more important than years of service alone.

Highly Desirable Experience

• Pilot plant, demonstration plant or first-of-a-kind process plant engineering.

• Taking an engineering project through:

Design → Procurement → Fabrication → Installation → Commissioning → Operation

• Process plant commissioning and troubleshooting.

• Equipment specification and vendor technical evaluation.

• Working directly with equipment suppliers and fabricators.

• Crystallisation or evaporation systems.

• Lithium processing or refining.

• Hydrometallurgical or minerals-processing plants.

• High-purity chemical manufacturing.

• Solid-liquid separation and drying processes.

Software

Experience with engineering software relevant to process plant design will be advantageous.

In particular:

• Aspen Plus and/or Aspen HYSYS experience is desirable.

• Experience with other process simulation packages will also be considered favourably.

• Strong competency with Microsoft Excel and engineering calculation tools is expected.

• Familiarity with CAD, plant modelling or P&ID software will be advantageous.

Professional Registration

Membership of Engineers Australia, Chartered Professional Engineer status or other relevant professional registration is not required, although professional membership and progress toward chartered status will be viewed favourably.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate:

• A practical engineering mindset.

• Strong technical curiosity and problem-solving ability.

• Willingness to work both in the office and in the field.

• Comfort working with new and developing technology.

• Ability to operate effectively where designs and requirements continue to evolve.

• Attention to engineering detail.

• Strong ownership of technical outcomes.

• Ability to identify problems early and propose practical solutions.

• Effective communication with engineers, scientists, project managers, vendors and contractors.

• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to multidisciplinary teams.

What Success Looks Like

During the first 12 months, the Process / Project Engineer will increasingly be able to take engineering developed with the Process Design Manager and help convert it into:

Detailed engineering → Procurement packages → Purchased equipment → Fabricated systems → Installed equipment → Commissioned and operating pilot plants.

Success in the role will be demonstrated through technically robust designs, effective vendor engagement, successful commissioning, practical problem solving and reliable pilot plant operation.

The position will play a key role in enabling ElectraLith to successfully scale its technology from laboratory development through pilot and demonstration plants toward commercial deployment.