About Westwin Elements Inc

Westwin is America's First Major Nickel Refinery solving America’s critical minerals
crisis – a crisis of foreign dependency, ESG violations, and forecasted market deficits.

Currently, no commercial nickel refining capacity exists in the U.S., which means the U.S. relies almost entirely on imports for its own nickel consumption. Therefore, developing refining capacities is critical to reduce import dependency, minimize geopolitical risk, and establish a domestic supply chain.

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Westwin solves this issue by localizing nickel refining capacity and mitigating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) violations within the global critical mineral supply chain. The company is dedicated to upholding ESG standards, ensuring ethical sourcing, traceability, and a more equitable profit distribution across all supply chain stakeholders. 

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As global and domestic demand for nickel and critical minerals continues to rise, Westwin is strategically positioned to supply Class 1 nickel products and address forecasted market deficits.

About the role

• Westwin Elements is seeking a Process Engineer to support the development and optimization of America’s first nickel refinery. This role will focus on process design, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement to ensure safe and effective refinery operations. The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of experience in process engineering, preferably within refining, chemical processing, or metals production. 

What you'll do

• Assist in the design, development, and optimization of refining processes to improve efficiency and product quality. 

• Analyze process data and troubleshoot operational issues to enhance plant performance. 

• Work closely with operations, maintenance, and engineering teams to implement process improvements. 

• Support the commissioning and startup of process equipment and systems. 

• Develop and maintain process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping & instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and mass/energy balances. 

• Develop process simulations, mass and energy balances, and technical evaluations for plant operations. 

• Perform engineering calculations such as equipment and line sizing. 

• Aid equipment technology selections. 

• Troubleshoot plant operations and recommend improvements based on data analysis and operational insights. 

• Support commissioning and startup activities for the refinery, ensuring smooth transitions from design to operation. 

• Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, and industry regulations. 

• Evaluate and recommend new technologies for process optimization. 

• Assist in cost reduction initiatives while maintaining operational effectiveness. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field. 

• 3-5 years of experience in process engineering within refining, metals, mining, or chemical processing. 

• Familiarity with process modeling software (Aspen Plus, HYSYS, or similar). 

• Knowledge of mass and energy balances, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics. 

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. 

• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced startup environment.