Job Description

In January 2024, Livent merged with Allkem Limited to create Arcadium Lithium plc. While we work to integrate our technology systems, including our recruitment platforms, Arcadium Lithium plc will use Livent’s ADP system to capture all candidate information.

About Arcadium Lithium: We are change-makers, joining forces to drive progress. A world enabled by the critical mineral, Lithium - the elemental source powering modern life and our global transition to clean energy. 

For decades, we’ve grown alongside and collaborated with our people, our customers, and communities. Pioneering, collaborating, and evolving Together. 

From the birth of the first lithium-ion battery to the breakthrough lithium advancements that have followed. We've helped lead the change, powering the future of lithium innovation. 

Our growth continues to be strategic, expansive, and sustainable. With a wealth of premier lithium resources spread across the world in key locations. We can reliably, safely, and responsibly provide the resources to meet the diverse needs of our customers. 

No matter where they are. No matter the challenge. It's all about delivering on the high expectation for quality, performance, and sustainability. 

And our duty goes even further. It includes everyone on the planet using a lithium-powered device or vehicle. 

Every battery charged. Every device powered. Every lithium application utilized. Underscoring our commitment to quality, collaboration, and our shared vision of powering a more sustainable future for everyone. 

Arcadium Lithium is more than just a company. It's a promise, and a commitment by our people. 

To act ethically and responsibly, ensuring that our legacy is one of positive impact and lasting change.

Position Summary: The Improvement Engineer is responsible to work with cross functional teams to ensure alignment between EHS, commercial, manufacturing, and R&D. Primary responsibilities will be to support the lithium hydroxide unit(s) located in Bessemer City, NC. This position is also called upon to support other technologies within the site such as lithium metal and pharmaceutical grade lithium carbonate operations. The position will focus on longer range process improvement initiatives and provide technical support in several areas during implementation

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety) Initiatives

• Lead and drive process safety assessments and technology improvement strategies to enhance operational safety and efficiency. 

• Ensure that all safety assessments are conducted to minimize risk and improve operational safety standards.
• Conduct sustainability analyses to reduce environmental impact, focusing on energy consumption, waste reduction, and sustainable practices.
• Support RCA investigations for incidents, variances, and reliability events, identifying corrective actions that align with EHS standards as well as both technical and management goals.

Technology Improvement and Technical Excellence 

• Utilize statistical tools to analyze and optimize unit operation performance, ensuring continuous improvement in process efficiency. 
• Perform process engineering calculations to evaluate and improve unit operations, focusing on efficiency and cost reductions. 
• Develop and execute initiatives to improve product quality, yield, and capacity through technology enhancements and process optimization. 
• Analyze asset utilization data to identify opportunities for increasing capacity and improving the efficiency of manufacturing equipment and processes. 
• Lead and support the scale-up of products and transfers, ensuring technical success at every stage, where there is an opportunity. 
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for chronic production issues, driving solutions through continuous process improvements.
• Develop, update, and maintain process technology information to ensure up-to-date and accurate process documentation. 

Project Management Support

• Support the development, planning, and execution of capital projects, acting as both a process and project engineer (for small projects) as needed.
• Lead and support plant and process start-up activities, ensuring smooth transitions from the project phase to operational status.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful implementation of improvement initiatives and support management in achieving strategic objectives.

Education and Experience 

• BS in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering preferred; Master level qualification (or higher) a plus but not required.
• 10 years + of experience in chemical process engineering within a continuous manufacturing environment, with a focus on process improvement. 

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• Ability to independently select, evaluate and apply techniques, processes, and criteria to complete standard assignments
• Competency at the customer interface level commensurate with starting level. 
• Strong safety orientation in OSHA and PSM 
• A demonstrated history of bringing projects in safely, on time and on budget.
• The ability to effectively present at both informal and formal training settings 
• Ability to lead improvement and/or project teams
• Data based and results driven with strong action orientation combined with practiced risk management abilities 
• Strategic agility with foresight and the ability to create alternate plans 

• International experience and bi-lingual capabilities a plus

Competencies

• Safety and Process safety knowledge
• Technical / functional skills / process engineering 
• Controls engineering and instrumentation
• Problem solving
• Six Sigma 
• Action oriented / drive for results / Quality focus
• Decision quality / database decision making
• Planning and project management
• Capital deployment / small capital project management
• Intrapersonal skills and self-awareness
• Approachability
• Managerial courage
• Business acumen

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; climb stairs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception.  Moderate travel using all forms of transportation is required.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. This position will be in an office environment with some exposure to the manufacturing environments.

Safety Requirements: All employees are expected to carry out their work functions in a healthy and safe manner, to encourage and support safe work practices at all times, and to report and/or rectify any unsafe conditions that may come to their attention immediately.

Personal Protective Equipment – Must wear PPE as required based on job duties.

Travel Required: Travel is not expected but may be possible.  Less than 10 percent travel, if needed.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.