معادن تعلن عن وظيفة أخصائي أبحاث تعدين في المملكة العربية السعودية

About Maaden

Maaden, established in 1997, is one of the fastest-growing mining companies in the world and the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East. We are leading the development of the mining industry to become the third pillar of Saudi Arabia’s economy by building a world-class, unique, and fully integrated mining value chain. We are pleased to share an exciting opportunity for the below mentioned position. This role offers a chance to contribute to our ambitious growth and play a key part in shaping the future of mining in the Kingdom.

Job purpose

The Research Metallurgist designs and executes laboratory and pilot-scale metallurgical programs to develop, optimize, and de-risk mineral processing and extractive metallurgy flowsheets. The role converts ore characterization and test work into clear, data-driven recommendations for process selection, scale-up, and operational improvement.

Key Accountabilities

1. Plan and deliver metallurgical test work programs (bench/pilot), including sampling strategy, method selection, and experimental design.
2. Execute and interpret test work across unit operations (comminution, classification, flotation, leaching, solid-liquid separation, impurity control).
3. Develop and optimize flowsheets and operating windows; quantify impacts on recovery, grade, throughput, reagent use, energy, and product quality.
4. Produce mass/metal balances, kinetics, and scale-up inputs; prepare technical packages that support engineering and design decisions.
5. Implement robust QA/QC and safe lab practices; coordinate third-party laboratories and specialist testing when required.
6. Prepare high-quality technical reports and present findings to stakeholders; support troubleshooting and continuous improvement in pilot/plant settings.

Minimum Qualification, Experience and Competencies

Minimum Qualification

• BSc/MSc in Metallurgy, Mineral Processing or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated hands-on lab/pilot experience with strong data interpretation and technical reporting capability (experience level aligned to role seniority).
• Strong safety mindset (HSE), documentation discipline, and stakeholder communication skills.

Minimum Experience

• 3 - 5+ years of progressive experience in metallurgical research, R&D, or advanced process engineering.

Skills

• Metallurgical test work and interpretation: 

  Flotation and leach amenability testing; variability testing; locked-cycle testing where applicable.

  Reagent scheme selection and optimization; residence time/kinetics; recovery-grade trade-off analysis.

  Mineralogy and liberation awareness; linking mineralogical drivers to process response.

• Solid-liquid separation, slurry behavior, and water quality:

  Thickening/clarification and filtration fundamentals; flocculant selection and optimization.

  Slurry handling and rheology awareness (yield stress/viscosity) and implications for pumping and settling.

  Water recycles effects on chemistry, scaling, and performance.

• Comminution and classification fundamentals:

  Particle size distribution (PSD) control, classification efficiency, and impact of grind on downstream recovery.

  Awareness of grindability concepts and test work outputs used for design.

• Data quality and metallurgical accounting:

  Representative sampling concepts and QA/QC planning (duplicates, blanks, standards, calibration).

  Mass/metal balance reconciliation, uncertainty awareness, and defensible reporting.

• Impurity control and product quality:

  Deportment of penalty elements; solution chemistry control (pH/Eh) and precipitation/contamination risks.

  Spec-driven optimization for concentration, cathode, or intermediate products (as applicable).

• Scale-up and translation to design:

  Turning lab/pilot outcomes into operating windows, consumptions, equipment duty ranges, and risk-based recommendations.

  Clear documentation of assumptions, limitations, and next-step test work for de-risking.