Senior Metallurgical Engineer/Head of Process Design & Operations

Overview

We are recruiting!

Our client in Mumbwa, is looking for a Senior Metallurgical Engineer/Head of Process Design & Operations to join their team for a job vacancy within the mining industry.

To apply, or for more information, follow the link below.

Senior Metallurgical Engineer/Head of Process Design & Operations

Reports to: General Manager

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Plant Operations & Metallurgy

Oversee day-to-day operations of the existing CIL gold processing plant, ensuring optimal recovery, throughput, and reagent control.
Supervise and improve metallurgical lab operations, including sampling, QA/QC procedures, fire assay, AAS/ICP, and test work protocols.
Conduct and interpret metallurgical balances, recovery diagnostics, and reagent optimization studies.
Train and lead junior metallurgists, process operators, and lab technicians.

New Plant Design & Commissioning (1,000 TPD)

Lead the design and layout of a new 1,000 TPD CIL/CIP/Hybrid plant including:
Crushing and milling circuit
Gravity separation
Thickening, leaching, adsorption, elution, regeneration, and tailings circuits
Perform mass and water balance calculations, residence time design, and reagent flow.
Collaborate with mechanical engineers to size pumps, tanks, mills, and piping.
Work with local fabricators and EPC partners to build and commission the plant.

Process Design & Optimization

Create and update PFDs (Process Flow Diagrams), P&IDs, and operating SOPs.
Use process modelling tools (e.g. METSIM, JKSimMet) to simulate performance and optimize plant flow.
Identify process bottlenecks, recommend improvements, and implement cost-effective upgrades.

Compliance, Safety & Reporting

Ensure compliance with local environmental and mining regulations.
Monitor and report on plant KPIs: recovery, reagent consumption, throughput, uptime.
Implement safety procedures for lab and plant operations.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

Education

BSc/BEng in Metallurgical Engineering, Mineral Processing, or Chemical Engineering
Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate in Process Plant Design, Project Management, or Mineral Economics is a plus

Experience

15+ years in gold processing (preferably with CIL/CIP operations)
Minimum 10-15 years in a leadership or plant management role
Proven track record of designing and commissioning gold processing plants of 500–1,000+ TPD
Experience supervising or setting up metallurgical laboratories
Strong exposure of Open Pit and Underground – Narrow reef gold veins.

Technical Proficiency

Strong command of metallurgical accounting, test work interpretation, and process flow modelling
Tools: METSIM, LIMN, JKSimMet, AutoCAD (for layouts), Excel (for mass balances)
Familiar with local fabrication and EPC coordination for low-cost setups

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and mentoring abilities
Hands-on problem-solving mindset
Capable of managing timelines and budgets
Communication and report writing skills (internal and board-level)

“All candidates are required to obtain their ZAQA certification from the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA)”