
Process Engineer
The Onset
Posted 6 days ago
The world’s biggest breakthroughs often die in the gap between invention and implementation.
A breakthrough material that could decarbonise manufacturing.
A process that could secure critical mineral supply chains.
A chemical innovation that could transform energy storage.
On paper, they’re flawless. In reality, most never make it past the lab bench. The leap from promising research to full-scale commercial production is where ambition meets hard reality — technical risk, economic feasibility, and the messy unpredictability of scaling up.
This team exists to close that gap.
They work at the intersection of science, engineering, and commercial strategy — taking first-of-a-kind technologies from whiteboards and prototypes to fully functioning pilot plants.
They stress-test processes, model economics, source equipment from around the world, and stand side-by-side with fabricators, installers, and commissioning crews to make sure everything works exactly as it should.
And they need a Process Engineer who thrives on that challenge.
Here, you’ll design processes that have never existed before. You’ll prepare and refine BFDs, PFDs, and P&IDs. You’ll run material and energy balances, size equipment, and model production costs until the numbers make sense not just technically, but commercially.
In this role, you will:
- Lead the design of first-of-a-kind and pilot-scale systems, integrating scale-up considerations from the outset.
- Prepare engineering deliverables including block flow diagrams, process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, equipment lists, and preliminary layouts.
- Perform techno-economic evaluations, iterating mass and energy balances, sizing equipment, and estimating both capital and operating costs.
- Provide strategic input into go/no-go decisions using robust technical and commercial assessments.
- Manage procurement of process and mechanical equipment — locally and internationally — ensuring fit for purpose and on time delivery.
- Be the on-the-ground technical lead during fabrication, installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting of lab and pilot-scale plants.
- Identify technical, commercial, and safety risks — and create mitigation strategies before they become roadblocks.
- Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and business strategists to build commercialisation roadmaps and advancement strategies for emerging technologies.
You’ll be a great fit if you have:
- A research-based degree (Honours, Masters, PhD) in chemical engineering, or equivalent on-the-job expertise.
- At least 2 years’ relevant experience in process engineering, ideally working on novel or first-of-a-kind systems. Though we're also open to more experienced profiles.
- Proven experience with techno-economic evaluations and cost estimation.
- Hands-on involvement in pilot plant or demonstration-scale design, build, and commissioning.
- Deep understanding of process design principles, risk-based decision-making, and scale-up challenges.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical detail for commercial audiences.
- The adaptability and resilience to work in environments where priorities shift quickly and the outcome is never guaranteed.
This is a rare chance to see your work go from concept to commercial reality — and to know that without your input, it might never have left the lab at all.
Reach out to Thaís on [email protected]
About The Onset
This company does not have any further information provided at this time. We encourage you to research the company by searching for them to learn more about the company or role in question before applying.
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