Do you hold a relevant PhD and have at least 7 years relevant R&D experience?

Have you got familiarity and networks within NZ’s minerals and metallurgical industries?

Are you a motivated Research Scientist/Engineer with ambition to develop your research career?

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role

The Robinson Research Institute is currently recruiting a Research Fellow/ Senior Research Fellow in Extractive Metallurgy on a 2 year, fixed-term, full-time basis. We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Research Fellow/ Senior Research Fellow with ambition to develop their research career within a R&D environment and the ability to conceptualise and originate new ideas that are outside industry norms. Paihau – Robinson work closely with commercial partners and carry out mission-oriented R&D and you should have the desire to see your work implemented with partners.

Ō pūmanawa - About you

The successful candidate will have expertise and R&D experience in some of the following areas:

Extractive pyrometallurgy.

Hydrometallurgy (especially green chemistry approaches).

Electrowinning from mineral ores.

Pilot-scale implementation of novel metallurgical processes.

Metallurgical flow-sheet development for unconventional mineral feedstocks.

Technoeconomic analysis of extractive metallurgical processes (mine-to-market).

Research project scoping, pitching and development.

Project management of collaborative R&D projects between industry and academia.

You will hold a relevant PhD and have at least 7 years relevant R&D experience in either industry or research organisation roles. Familiarity and networks within NZ’s minerals and metallurgical industries would be advantageous.

Ētahi kōrero hai āwhina i a koe - Why you should join our team

The Robinson Research institute at VUW is one of New Zealand’s leading centres for research and development in advanced technologies. Our Clean Materials Initiative is focused on developing new environmentally-benign processes to extract critical metals and other industrial materials from mineral ores, mine tailings and recycled feedstocks. A range of critical minerals can be found within NZ’s unique geography. However – this will require the development of entirely new zero-liquid discharge, zero-CO2 processes which can meet NZ’s stringent environmental regulations for industrial operations. We work closely with partners in industry government and academia to unlock new economic opportunities for New Zealand along the full value-chain from minerals beneficiation to metallurgical refining.

Research Fellow Role Description - Click here to see further information, including salary details.

Senior Research Fellow Role Description - Click here to see further information, including salary details.

Close date for vacancy: 05 June 2025.

Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role please get in touch with Jeannie Redman ([email protected]).