International Mineral Processing, Technical Lead
Vale · China
JOB SUMMARY
- Supports the implementation of safety, collaboration, and culture initiatives in the team environment.
- Contributes to production plan simulations, incorporating mass, quality, and tailings variables to support planning decisions.
- Participates in the application of ROM specifications in coordination with Geology and Mine Planning, contributing to better resource utilization.
- Contributes to risk assessments and optimization studies aimed at improving process reliability and recovery performance within the assigned scope.
- Provides technical support during start-up and ramp-up phases, helping stabilize processes and maintain operational consistency.
- Engages in monitoring and analyzing process variables to support adherence to operational parameters and identify improvement opportunities.
- Supports integration of production plans with geology and mine planning by assessing the impact of ROM characteristics on plant feed.
- Applies geometallurgical concepts to improve understanding of ore variability and support more predictable operational outcomes.
- Collaborates with internal areas to support alignment between operational demands and technical requirements.
- Provides technical support to internal teams and selected partners on topics related to mineral processing.
- Supports alignment between operational needs and engineering solutions within the defined scope.
- Contributes to the development and improvement of simulation tools used in planning and process optimization.
- Ensures technical consistency and reliability through structured laboratory validation and peer review practices.
- Contributes to solutions that improve ore handling performance and reduce operational constraints.
- Supports technical analysis that informs product portfolio decisions and regional positioning discussions.
- Supports technical evaluations in origination activities involving ore, plant, and market fit.
- Analyzes process data and performance trends to improve understanding of plant behavior and support decisions.
- Contributes technical input to assessments and evaluations when required.
- Supports the evaluation of new technologies and suppliers relevant to process improvement.
- Supports industrial testing activities aimed at validating technologies and process changes.
- Contributes to economic and technical evaluation of initiatives, supporting cost analysis and validating technical assumptions to ensure consistency and applicability.
- Contributes to innovation initiatives, supporting applied research and technical development aligned with operational needs.
KEY CHALLENGES
- Build strong day-to-day relationships with plant operation teams, providing consistent technical support and practical guidance to strengthen credibility and improve routine performance.
- Document technical learnings and ensure consistent application of mineral processing fundamentals to reduce rework and improve execution quality.
- Ensure technical activities align with established standards and contribute to operational and project objectives.
- Contribute to the development and improvement of predictive models and simulations that support production planning, scenario analysis, and process understanding.
- Support integration of geology, mine planning, and process data to improve understanding of ROM behavior and contribute to more effective resource utilization.
- Identify relevant technical risks and support optimization efforts aimed at improving recovery, quality, and operational stability within the assigned scope.
- Provide technical support during start-up and ramp-up phases, helping stabilize operations and reduce process variability during critical implementation stages.
- Apply geometallurgical concepts and process analysis to improve understanding of ore variability and support more predictable operational outcomes.
- Support evaluation and application of new technologies, suppliers, and improvement ideas that enhance process performance and technical learning.
- Support adoption of safety, risk management, collaboration, and feedback practices that reinforce a healthy technical and team environment.
- Provide technical inputs that connect plant behavior, ore characteristics, and product information to broader business discussions when required.
- Support identification of improvement opportunities through technical observation, comparative analysis, and exposure to good practices.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
- Responsible for SSMA and culture by supporting safety and culture initiatives that reinforce collaboration, discipline, and risk awareness in the team environment.
- Responsible for production plan simulation by developing simulations plans and supporting mass, quality, and tailings analysis used in planning.
- Responsible for ROM specifications by applying ROM specifications in coordination with geology and mine planning to improve resource utilization.
- Responsible for risk and optimization studies by supporting technical studies that identify risks and improve process reliability, recovery, and operational performance.
- Responsible for start-up and ramp-up support by supporting start-up and ramp-up activities to improve process stability and reduce operational variability.
- Responsible for process monitoring and performance optimization by monitoring process variables and identifying improvement opportunities to support adherence to operational parameters.
- Responsible for production plan integration by supporting integration between production plans, geology, and mine planning and assessing ROM impacts on plant feed.
- Responsible for geometallurgy application by applying geometallurgical concepts to improve understanding of ore variability and support more predictable operations.
- Responsible for cross-functional integration by collaborating with internal areas to connect operational needs with technical requirements and solutions.
- Responsible for technical expertise provision by providing technical support to teams and partners on topics related to mineral processing performance and improvement.
- Responsible for simulation tools by utilizing tools and software to conduct analyses and propose process optimizations.
- Responsible for lab tests and scale-up by monitoring execution, analyzing results, and supporting the definition of procedures and validation activities for the parameters required to ensure technical consistency and learning.
- Responsible for material handling solutions by supporting material handling solutions that improve continuity and reduce operational constraints.
- Responsible for technical portfolio interface by supporting technical portfolio analysis and providing inputs for product positioning decisions.
- Responsible for origination support by supporting origination evaluations involving ore characteristics, plant capabilities, and market requirements.
- Responsible for process intelligence by analyzing process data and trends to support technical understanding and day-to-day decision-making.
- Responsible for due diligence by supporting technical assessments and due diligence activities when required for projects and opportunities.
- Responsible for innovation and new technologies by supporting evaluation of new technologies and suppliers relevant to process improvement and performance.
- Responsible for industrial testing by supporting industrial testing activities that validate process changes, technologies, and operating assumptions.
- Responsible for economic evaluation, investments, and scaling by supporting economic evaluation of initiatives and ensuring consistency between costs, technical assumptions, and expected outcomes.
- Responsible for innovation, R&D, and strategic partnerships by supporting R&D initiatives, contributing to technical studies, and collaborating with strategic partners.
QUALIFICATIONS
Academic Background:
- Bachelor’s degree in Mineral Processing, Metallurgical, or Chemical Engineering. Master’s degree desirable as a differentiation factor.
- Years of Experience - 7–12 years
- Languages - Fluency in English and Chinese required for technical communication and documentation.
- Mineral characterization - Basic to intermediate experience supporting mineral characterization and interpretation of variability.
- Mass balance / simulation / data reconciliation (METSIM / JKSimMet / USIM PAC / BILCO) - Executes basic analyses and simulations using existing models, simple flowsheets, and initial data reconciliation routines.
- Statistics / DOE / advanced analysis (Minitab / JMP / Design-Expert / STATGRAPHICS - Applies basic statistical analyses and performs simple evaluations of data and experiments.
- Productivity / data analysis / technical communication (Excel / PowerPoint) - Organizes data, performs simple calculations, and prepares clear basic technical presentations.
- Innovation processes - Participation in innovation initiatives and application of new ideas in operational context.
- Due diligence - Exposure to due diligence activities supporting technical assessments.
- Project development - Experience supporting project activities and technical studies.
- Iron ore value chain knowledge - Good understanding of process stages and operational flows.
- International exposure - Limited or initial exposure to international operations or collaboration.
Behavioral Profile:
- Prefers structured, task-focused work with attention to detail and consistency
- Relies on data, logic, and established methods to make decisions
- Focuses on concrete data, process details, and technical accuracy
- Communicates objectively and clearly in technical contexts
- Analytical - Data analysis; problem solving; attention to detail
- Discipline; time management; reliability
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
- Strong multicultural and multidisciplinary background