Job Description

Lead Process Engineer – Africa & Middle East

Barrick’s Africa & Middle East (AME) team are seeking to recruit a Lead Process Engineer.

The AME Lead Process Engineer is accountable for the technical design, optimisation, and execution of process engineering initiatives and capital projects across the AME portfolio.

The role focuses on flowsheet development, plant optimisation, debottlenecking, and project delivery, ensuring that processing facilities are designed and modified to achieve maximum throughput, recovery, operability, and cost efficiency.

This position serves as the regional authority on process engineering, bridging studies, engineering design, and operational improvement, and ensuring that all process changes are technically sound, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Process Engineering Leadership & Technical Authority

• Act as the AME technical authority on process engineering, covering:
  • Comminution (crushing, grinding, classification)
  • Flotation systems
  • Leaching and adsorption circuits
  • Solid-liquid separation
  • Reagent systems and dosing strategies
• Define and enforce process engineering standards and design philosophies across the region.
• Provide expert review and challenge of:
  • Flowsheets
  • Design criteria
  • Equipment selection and sizing

• Capital Projects & Studies (Primary Focus)

• Lead and support process engineering inputs across:
  • Scoping, PFS, FS, and execution phases
• Own:
  • Process design criteria (PDC)
  • Mass and water balances
  • Equipment sizing and selection
  • Flowsheet development and optimisation
• Provide assurance on:
  • Design robustness
  • Operability and maintainability
  • Alignment with LoM and ore variability
• Support key AME projects (e.g., expansions, brownfield upgrades, new builds).

• Flowsheet Optimisation & Debottlenecking

• Identify and execute high-impact plant optimisation opportunities, including:
  • Throughput increases (tph debottlenecking)
  • Circuit stability improvements
  • Energy efficiency optimisation (kWh/t)
• Conduct bottleneck analysis using:
  • Data analytics
  • Simulation tools
  • Site diagnostics
• Design and implement:
  • Circuit modifications
  • Equipment upgrades
  • Control strategy improvements

• Process Modelling & Simulation

• Develop and maintain process models to support:
  • Design validation
  • Scenario analysis
  • Capacity forecasting
• Use tools such as:
  • Mass balance simulation software
  • Comminution modelling
  • Flotation kinetics modelling
• Ensure alignment between:
  • Model predictions
  • Actual plant performance

• Testwork Strategy & Interpretation

• Define and oversee metallurgical and process testwork programmes, including:
  • Comminution characterisation (e.g., SMC, Bond)
  • Flotation variability and reagent optimisation
  • Leach kinetics and residence time requirements
• Ensure:
  • Testwork is representative and statistically valid
  • Results are translated into design criteria and operating strategies
• Critically review laboratory and pilot plant outputs.

• Operational Improvement Initiatives

• Lead structured improvement programmes targeting:
  • Throughput constraints
  • Circuit inefficiencies
  • Equipment underperformance
• Support sites in:
  • Implementing optimisation initiatives
  • Tracking performance improvements
• Work closely with Lead Metallurgist to ensure:
  • Engineering solutions translate into sustained metallurgical gains

• Advanced Process Control & Digitalisation

• Drive implementation of:
  • Advanced Process Control (APC)
  • Real-time optimisation systems
  • Digital twins and predictive models
• Improve plant stability through:
  • Control philosophy optimisation
  • Instrumentation upgrades
• Support data integration for decision-making and automation

• Commissioning & Ramp-Up Support

• Provide technical leadership during:
  • Plant commissioning
  • Ramp-up phases
  • Major plant modifications
• Ensure:
  • Design intent is achieved in practice
  • Performance gaps are rapidly identified and closed
• Develop commissioning strategies and performance test protocols.

• Risk Management & Engineering Assurance

• Identify and mitigate:
  • Process design risks (underdesign, overdesign, instability)
  • Scale-up risks from testwork to plant
• Maintain engineering risk registers for projects and optimisation initiatives
• Ensure compliance with:
  • Engineering standards
  • Safety and operability requirements (HAZOP, HAZID inputs)

• Standardisation & Best Practice Deployment

• Develop and implement:
  • Standard flowsheets for common ore types
  • Design templates and engineering guidelines
• Drive consistency across AME operations in:
  • Equipment selection
  • Circuit configuration
  • Process control strategies

• Stakeholder & Interface Management

• Interface with:
  • Projects teams and EPCM contractors
  • OEMs and technology providers
  • Site operations and metallurgical teams
• Ensure clear alignment between:
  • Engineering design
  • Operational requirements
  • Business objectives

• Key Deliverables

• Process Design Criteria (PDCs)
• Mass & Water Balance models
• Optimised flowsheets
• Debottlenecking study reports
• Commissioning and ramp-up performance reports
• Engineering standards and design guidelines

Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.

• Post-Graduate studies and professional registration will be advantageous.

Experience and Skills Requirements

• Minimum 8 years’ process engineering experience in minerals processing (design and operations), including leading or providing assurance on studies and capital projects (Scoping/ PFS/ FS/ Execution).

• Strong technical capability across comminution, flotation, leaching/adsorption, solid–liquid separation and reagent systems.

• Demonstrated track record in flowsheet optimisation/debottlenecking and converting testwork and plant data into practical improvements.

• Proficient in process fundamentals: mass & water balances, equipment selection/sizing and technical reporting (design basis, options analysis, recommendations).

• Experience supporting commissioning/ramp-up and managing process risk inputs (e.g., design reviews, HAZID/HAZOP participation) is advantageous.

Core Competencies

• Process modelling/ simulation and data-driven troubleshooting.

• Ability to develop/ review key deliverables: PDCs, flowsheets, balance models, equipment specifications and study reports.

• Strong stakeholder management with operations, projects, EPCM/OEMs; able to influence and align across interfaces.

• Clear communication and technical writing for both technical and non-technical audiences.

• High safety and quality standards; working knowledge of change management and engineering assurance practices.

• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and common project collaboration tools.

• Exposure to APC/real-time optimisation and digital tools is advantageous.

Why Join Barrick:

• A comprehensive compensation package including bonuses and site-specific benefits

• The ability to make a difference and lasting impact

• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team

• Opportunities to grow and learn with industry colleagues

• Access to a variety of career opportunities across the organisation

We are committed to a safe work environment sending every person home safe and healthy every day and leaving a sustainable legacy on our host communities.

Thank you for your application, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Our mission is to be the world’s most valued gold and copper mining business. We are committed to partnering with our host countries and communities to transform their natural resources into tangible benefits and mutual prosperity.

Barrick is a leading global mining, exploration and development company. With one of the largest portfolios of world-class and life-long gold and copper assets in the industry - including six of the world's Tier One gold mines - Barrick's operations an projects span 18 countries and five continents. Barrick is also the largest gold producer in the United States. We create real, long-term value for all stakeholders through responsible mining, strong partnerships, and a disciplined approach to growth. Barrick shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "B" and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ABX".