Job Description

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.