Chemical & Process Engineer
Charleston, South Carolina
About Red Metals
Red Metals is rethinking the domestic copper supply chain at a pivotal moment in American industry.
Copper underpins electrification, data centers, and defense systems. U.S. demand already exceeds domestic supply, and the gap is widening as grid modernization, the energy transition, and buildout of AI infrastructure accelerate.
We are building a new model for this critical industrial layer in the United States.
The Role
We are hiring a Chemical & Process Engineer to design, build, and operate our first copper processing and refining systems.
This is not a support role. You will take processes from first principles through design, commissioning, and production, and you will own performance, reliability, and output.
What You’ll Do
Lead process areas or systems, with the opportunity for team leadership as we scale
Design copper processing flowsheets from feedstock through finished product
Build mass and energy balances, process models, and size key equipment
Select and integrate unit operations in a coherent, scalable system
Work side by side with mechanical and controls engineers to build a functioning plant
Lead commissioning, including hands-on troubleshooting on the plant floor
Define operating procedures, control strategies, and process KPIs
Analyze process data and drive improvements in yield, quality, and throughput
Own metallurgical performance, including impurity management and product quality
Work directly with vendors and contractors to execute quickly
Contribute to controls and automation systems, using process data and AI to improve stability and continuously optimize
Red Metals Non-Negotiables
Bias for Action
We move fast. Speed beats polish. We use every tool, especially AI, to accelerate decisions, execution, and learning.
Grit
We do hard things because they matter. We keep pushing when others quit.
Ownership
We own outcomes, not tasks. We see problems, fix them, and follow through across functions.
Signal
We cut through noise. We communicate clearly and directly so decisions are fast and execution stays sharp.
Craft
We take pride in our work. Quality, care, and precision are the standard.
What We’re Looking For
Degree in Chemical Engineering or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience demonstrating process engineering capability
3-8+ years process engineering experience, ideally in metals, mining, refining, or heavy industry
Strong fundamentals in thermodynamics, reaction engineering, and separations, developed through education or practical experience
Experience taking processes from design through commissioning into operation
Comfortable working on the plant floor in an industrial environment
Ability to operate with incomplete information and make sound decisions quickly
Demonstrated ability or potential to lead projects or teams in a fast-moving environment
Strong Pluses:
Experience with pyrometallurgy or processing of mined or secondary materials
Experience with copper or other non-ferrous metals
Experience commissioning industrial equipment
Familiarity with process control systems and instrumentation
Startup or early-stage experience
Why Red Metals
Build a company from zero, not optimize an existing system
Direct ownership of critical process and operational decisions
Work on a problem that matters: rebuilding U.S. industrial capacity
Small team, high trust, no bureaucracy
Location
This role is based in Charleston, South Carolina and requires on-site work.