Process Engineer - Separation Technologies

About the role

Lilac is seeking a Process Engineer – Separation Technologies to support the development, optimization, and scale-up of separation and filtration systems across lab, pilot, and commercial platforms. This role will focus on maintaining and expanding filtration capabilities at Lilac’s Oakland facility and pilot sites, while generating high-quality experimental data to inform process optimization and front-end engineering design efforts.

The engineer will evaluate emerging separation technologies—including advanced membrane and filtration approaches—and generate high-quality experimental data to improve overall flowsheet performance, reduce processing costs, and support ongoing optimization and commercial engineering efforts. This is a hands-on, cross-functional role focused on experimental execution, data-driven process improvement, and translation of test results into scalable process designs. This is a full-time position, with up to 25% travel to lithium extraction sites.

The title and level for this role (Associate or Engineer) will be determined based on experience and qualifications.

What you'll do

• Design, fabricate, commission, and operate lithium extraction modules and associated components, across bench and pilot scale. 
• Development of new designs to improve efficiency of the technology 
• Develop key design documents such as material balances, PFDs, P&IDs 
• Automation, process control, and continual improvement of the lithium extraction skids 
• Evaluation of equipment and processes to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations. 
• Up to 25% travel, to commission and operate lithium extraction plants across the US, South America, and Europe   

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (or higher) in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related field. 
• Familiar with laboratory equipment and safety procedures. 
• Highly organized with sharp attention to detail, proficient in data analysis and interpretation. 
• Excellent communication skills and ability to interface and collaborate with other engineers, chemists, and operators. 
• Pass a respirator fit test periodically, occasionally stand for up to 8 hours per day, occasionally move up to 50 lbs, and wear PPE. 

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on laboratory experience. 
• Experience working with process equipment in an industrial setting, preferably with brine solutions or water treatment systems. 
• Experience working with programmable logic controllers (PLCs)