Junior Chemical Engineer

based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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Company Overview

WMC is an Amsterdam-based commodity merchant, supply chain financing specialist and industrial asset development company. WMC aims to be a catalyst and enabler in the transition to a low carbon economy by providing creative and high-quality solutions. The Company was incorporated in 2016 originally to provide supply chain solutions in the nuclear energy industry. In 2020, WMC expanded into the battery materials industry and focused on providing competitive, reliable, transparent and sustainable supplies of raw and refined lithium-ion battery materials. WMC has initiated the development of four chemical processing facility projects within Europe and internationally in support of the global energy transition to an efficient, stable and sustainable society.

Main Purpose

The Junior Chemical Engineer, reporting to the Director of Asset Development, is a key part of the battery materials asset development team and is responsible for project engineering to support the development of industrial chemical processing facilities within the WMC portfolio of projects. This role will interact with multi-disciplinary teams in support of the development of chemical engineering designs on the various chemical processing facility projects within WMC.

Role

The Junior Chemical Engineer is: (1) a chemical engineer supporting the stage-gate project evolution including scoping studies, lab and pilot-scale test work and chemical engineering-based design reviews; and (2) a technical analyst reviewing CAPEX and OPEX estimates and seeking opportunities to gain process efficiencies and improve financial margins, while remaining compliant with local environmental legislation and regulations. The position will be primarily based in the WMC Amsterdam office. Travel will be required to the chemical processing facility sites within Europe and internationally on an as needed basis.

Functions/Key Responsibilities

• Complete scoping studies and support or lead lab and pilot-scale test work for chemical refining of battery materials.
• Provide technical support for the review of process flow diagrams, mass and energy balances, electrical load forecasts, general arrangement drawings and process control philosophy.
• Provide technical input in support of the development of environmental permitting applications.
• Provide support in the review of selected vendor packages for the procurement of major chemical processing equipment.
• Complete economic studies and evaluations (CAPEX and OPEX) of selected processing options and seeking options to maximizing processing facility margins.  
• Provide technical input and support the development of waste management strategies that align with local environmental legislation, regulations and guidelines including the application of best available technologies.
• Support the development of procedures to ensure operational readiness including support on commissioning plans and the development of standard operating procedures, process sampling programmes and metallurgical accounting systems for the facility. 
• Provide support in the development of training programmes for facility operators and provide support in the development of facility maintenance programmes. 
• Assist WMC on due diligence exercises on an as needed basis. 
• Perform any other tasks that fit with the employee’s set of skills, as reasonably requested by WMC, in support of WMC’s general business activities and development of new business activities. 

Education and Qualifications

Requirements of the position:

• Minimum of a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree
• P.Eng or P.Eng eligible
• Minimum of two years of relevant industrial engineering experience including direct experience in the design and development of chemical processing facilities
• Self-starter with strong trouble shooting and analytical skills
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment while building strong relationships with a wide variety of personnel
• Proven rational decision-making skills
• Excellent oral and written command of English
• Clear background check

Assets:

• Direct project management experience in the phased development of chemical processing facilities
• Knowledge and direct industrial engineering experience of chemical refineries for pCAM and CAM battery production facilities
• Knowledge of process safety, risk identification and hazard control
• Knowledge of operational reliability practices
• Knowledge of process control and process control instrumentation
• Knowledge of project due diligence and experience in conducting due diligence on mineral resource properties and chemical processing facilities
• Knowledge of Swedish, French or Dutch