Title: Lead Process and Metallurgical Engineer - Minerals & Brine Extraction
Aramco energizes the world economy.
Aramco occupies a special position in the global energy industry. We are one of the world’s largest producers of hydrocarbon energy and chemicals, with among the lowest Upstream carbon intensities of any major producer.
With our significant investment in technology and infrastructure, we strive to maximize the value of the energy we produce for the world along with a commitment to enhance Aramco’s value to society.
Headquartered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and with offices around the world, we combine market discipline with a generations’ spanning view of the future, born of our nine decades experience as responsible stewards of the Kingdom’s vast hydrocarbon resources. This responsibility has driven us to deliver significant societal and economic benefits to not just the Kingdom, but also to a vast number of communities, economies, and countries that rely on the vital and reliable energy that we supply.
We are one of the most profitable companies in the world, as well as amongst the top five global companies by market capitalization.
Job Purpose
Saudi Aramco is seeking a Senior Technical Advisor – Metallurgical Engineer with a strong background in chemical engineering, to join the Aramco Minerals organization within the Upstream Business Line. In this strategic and technically rigorous role, you will serve as a key metallurgical and process engineering expert, supporting the identification, evaluation, and development of high-potential brine-based mineral resources, including lithium, bromine, potash, and magnesium.
Your expertise in hydrometallurgy, chemical process design, and industrial-scale mineral recovery systems, combined with a deep understanding of solution chemistry, mass transfer, reaction engineering, and process scale-up, will be critical in transforming mineral discoveries into technically and economically viable processing operations.
You will lead metallurgical testwork, process development, and flowsheet optimization, while providing guidance on equipment design, materials compatibility, and chemical system integration. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team of geologists, chemists, and engineers, you will ensure that mineral development projects are technically sound, scalable, and aligned with Aramco’s long-term strategic objectives.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a technical authority in hydrometallurgy and chemical process engineering, with a focus on brine-based systems for lithium, bromine, potash, and magnesium recovery.
- Lead the design, optimization, and scale-up of hydrometallurgical processes including leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction, ion exchange, Adsorption and electrowinning.
- Conduct metallurgical and chemical testwork, interpret brine composition data, and develop integrated process flowsheets to support feasibility studies and plant design.
- Evaluate ore and brine characteristics, and define leachability, recovery pathways, and reagent consumption, ensuring process efficiency and economic viability.
- Provide expert chemical and metallurgical input into process equipment design, materials selection, and corrosion resistance, particularly in aggressive chemical environments.
- Collaborate with exploration, mining, and process engineering teams to assess the technical feasibility of mineral deposits and define development roadmaps from discovery to production.
- Develop and validate metallurgical and chemical models using simulation tools to support mass balances, reagent optimization, and plant performance forecasting.
- Plan and oversee pilot-scale trials, bench-scale testing, and process validation, ensuring smooth transition from lab to industrial scale.
- Prepare and present technical reports, process evaluations, and feasibility studies for internal stakeholders and external partners.
- Utilize GIS and 3D modeling tools to integrate metallurgical and chemical data with geological and mining information for resource modeling and planning.
- Provide technical leadership in environmental and safety compliance, particularly in handling chemically reactive systems and managing waste streams.
- Maintain awareness of industry innovations, emerging technologies, and patentable solutions in hydrometallurgy and mineral processing.
- Collaborate across disciplines,including geology, chemical engineering, and environmental science, to drive integrated and sustainable mineral development.
Education & Experience Requirements
- A Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Chemical Engineering, with a strong background in hydrometallurgy or chemical process development. An MSc or PhD in Hydrometallurgy, Chemical Metallurgy, or Industrial Chemistry is highly preferred.
- Minimum of 15 years of professional experience, with at least 7–10 years in hydrometallurgical process development, chemical plant design, and industrial-scale mineral recovery, particularly for brine-based minerals.
- Demonstrated technical leadership in metallurgical and chemical testwork, flowsheet development, and industrial process scale-up.
- Strong proficiency in hydrometallurgical and chemical simulation tools (e.g., HSC Chemistry, FactSage, METSIM, Aspen Plus), and experience in materials compatibility evaluation and corrosion control strategies.
- Experience with chemical process equipment design, including reactors, settlers, columns, and crystallizers, and familiarity with ASME, API, ISO, and NACE standards for chemical systems.
- Proven track record of technical contributions in mineral processing and chemical engineering, including peer-reviewed publications, technology patents, and mentoring programs.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams, and to interface between technical, operational, and strategic functions.
- Willingness and ability to work in remote or field-based environments when required.
- Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to technical excellence, innovation, and operational safety.
Work location and Work Schedule
Work Location: Within Saudi Arabia
Work Schedule: Full Time
Working environment
Our high-performing employees are drawn by the challenging and rewarding professional, technical and industrial opportunities we offer, and are remunerated accordingly.
At Aramco, our people work on truly world-scale projects, supported by investment in capital and technology that is second to none. And because, as a global energy company, we are faced with addressing some of the world’s biggest technical, logistical and environmental challenges, we invest heavily in talent development.
We have a proud history of educating and training our workforce over many decades. Employees at all levels are encouraged to improve their sector-specific knowledge and competencies through our workforce development programs – one of the largest in the world.