Chemical Engineer

Position Overview

The Chemical Engineer will support the design, optimization, and scale-up of chemical and specialty materials processes at our Cleveland facility. This role partners closely with operations, R&D, EHS, and maintenance to improve product quality, enhance throughput, and ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead process engineering support for assigned production areas, including troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and day-to-day technical guidance for operations.
• Develop, optimize, and document batch and continuous processes for rare earth and specialty material production, including reaction, separation, drying, and finishing steps.
• Participate in scale-up of new products from lab and pilot to full production, including process design, equipment specification, and operating parameter definition.
• Analyze process data to identify trends, improve yields, reduce variability, and drive energy and raw material efficiency.
• Author and maintain process documentation (PFDs, P&IDs, operating procedures, standard work, control plans, and process safety information).
• Support capital projects by defining process requirements, performing material and energy balances, selecting equipment, and supporting commissioning and startup.
• Partner with EHS to ensure compliance with process safety, environmental, and occupational health regulations and internal standards.
• Participate in HAZOPs and other process hazard analyses, implement recommendations, and help maintain a strong process safety culture.
• Collaborate with quality and R&D teams to resolve product nonconformances and to qualify raw materials, intermediates, and finished products.
• Provide training and technical coaching to operators and technicians on new processes, procedures, and equipment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related discipline required; advanced degree is a plus.
• 3+ years of experience in chemical, specialty materials, or related process manufacturing environment preferred (open to strong early-career candidates for Engineer I).
• Solid understanding of core chemical engineering principles: reaction engineering, thermodynamics, mass and heat transfer, and unit operations.
• Experience with batch and/or continuous processes, including reactors, filtration, evaporation, crystallization, drying, and solids handling.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data, build simple models or calculations, and convert insights into practical plant improvements.
• Familiarity with process safety concepts (PHA/HAZOP, MOC, PSM elements) and safe work practices in a chemical plant.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with operations, maintenance, EHS, and commercial/R&D stakeholders.
• Proficiency with common engineering tools (e.g., Excel, process simulators or calculation software) and comfort working in an on-site manufacturing environment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in rare earths, inorganic materials, or other specialty materials is highly desirable.
• Background in solids processing, kilns/furnaces, or high-temperature operations.
• Experience implementing continuous improvement or operational excellence initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, or similar).
• Familiarity with SPC, DOE, and other statistical tools for process optimization.

Work Environment

• On-site role in a chemical and specialty materials manufacturing facility.

Requires time in production areas with use of appropriate PPE and adherence to safety