Principal Process Engineer – Expat Opportunity (Canada/USA)

Expat opportunity: North America (Canada / USA)

Location options: Montreal (QC), Toronto (ON), Vancouver (BC) or United States

Type: Permanent, Full-time (40 hours per week)

Relocation / Expat Support Available

Build Something Bigger — Take Your Expertise Global

Primero is offering a rare expat opportunity for an experienced Australian Principal Process Engineer who is ready to take their career global and play a key role in growing our North American business.

Founded in Australia in 2011, Primero has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality EPC/EPCM solutions across the minerals processing sector. Over the past decade, we have successfully expanded into Canada and the United States, with established offices in Montreal, Houston, and Toronto, and a growing pipeline of projects across gold, copper, lithium, and critical minerals.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who wants more than just another project role — someone motivated by technical leadership, business growth, and long-term impact.

The Opportunity

As Principal Process Engineer – North America, you will act as a technical expert, helping shape the future of Primero’s process engineering capability across the region.

You will work closely with executive leadership, project teams, and clients, contributing not only to complex engineering and studies, but also to strategic growth, mentoring, and business development.

This is a hands-on, influential role with visibility and autonomy — well suited to someone who thrives in an evolving, entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Act as the technical expert for metallurgy and mineral processing across North American projects.
Lead and review scoping, pre-feasibility, feasibility, and bankable feasibility studies.
Provide expert input into process selection, flowsheet development, and optimization.
Drive continuous improvement across safety, procedures, training, and operational efficiency.
Develop and support computer-based training modules (operations, HSE, laboratory, sampling).
Provide project development and engineering management support across mining and minerals projects.
Mentor and coach engineers, supporting team development and capability building.
Contribute to business development, client engagement, and proposal work as required.
Support strategic initiatives including long-term asset optimization, M&A evaluations, and growth planning.

Technical Expertise:

Strong experience across mineral processing circuits, including:

Gold, silver, copper, lithium, cobalt and critical minerals
Crushing, grinding, screening
Flotation (sulphide & oxide)
Gravity concentration
Dense medium separation (DMS)
Thickening, filtration, tailings
Laboratory test work and data interpretation

What we’re looking for:

Degree qualification in Chemical / Metallurgical / Process Engineering (or equivalent).
15+ years experience across engineering, operations and/or commissioning.
Strong background in mineral processing, ideally within EPC/EPCM environments.
Proven capability operating at Principal / Technical Expert level.
Experience in business development and client relationship management.
Strong leadership, mentoring and communication skills.
High standards for HSE, quality, and technical excellence.
Comfortable working in a fast-growing, evolving organisation.
Excellent communication skills required.

Why this role is different

Long term opportunity – not just a project assignment
Opportunity to influence strategy and growth across North America.
Join an Australian-founded company with strong cultural alignment.
Work on international, technically challenging projects.
Choice of Canada or USA as your base.

What we offer

Competitive principal-level salary, aligned to experience.
Relocation and expat support (details discussed individually).
Comprehensive health insurance from day one.
Retirement plan with 5% employer matching
Flexible work arrangements
Supportive, collaborative culture with strong Australian roots
Active social culture and emphasis on work-life balance

Whether you’re actively looking or just exploring, feel free to reach out for a confidential discussion.

[email protected]

Primero

Principal Process Engineer

About the Job

Requirements

Responsibilities

About the Company

Primero

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