Project Chemist Technisch R&D

About Umicore

Powering the cars of today and tomorrow. Reducing harmful emissions. Giving unique properties to high-end applications. Giving new life to used metals. As a global advanced materials and recycling group, we develop, produce, and recycle materials for a better life.

 About Corporate Research & Development

Driving progress through research. Providing material solutions for the world’s most pressing challenges and anticipating the needs of our customers requires a high level of investment in research. Umicore’s Group Research capabilities focus on new materials and processes to address the megatrends of resource scarcity and clean mobility. The nature of research and development means that we cannot stand still. We need to find new ways to do things, discover new solutions and develop new ideas. Which is where you come in.

As a Process Engineer within Corporate R&D, you will ...

drive innovation at Umicore forward by searching for new and improved processes for the refining and recycling of metals:

• You will work on process innovation and optimisations  on a project basis, in close collaboration with the project leader. Projects cover both support of existing operations in various Umicore business Units, as well as early stage research in search for future processes.
• You will contribute to multiple projects simultaneously, operating autonomously and taking responsibility for your own planning and time management.

• You will actively gain insights based on literature, data analysis and process simulations to address research questions in an analytical and accurate way. In addition, you will monitor new developments in the field.

• You will identify the need for experiments - at lab, pilot or industrial scale - and are responsible for design, safe execution and consistent data processing, including visualization and reporting of results.
• You work in good collaboration with internal lab and operational teams. You closely guide and coach operators during execution of experiments, adopting a hands-on approach when needed.
• After processing of results, you translate the learnings into high quality scientific research reports (in English) and present them to the project team and beyond.
• You actively search for opportunities to improve or introduce new methodologies, technologies, products and safety related aspects, both in a research and in an industrial context.
• A digital mindset enables you to work efficiently and leverage modeling and data‑processing tools to accelerate your research and enhance its quality.

We are looking for a colleague who ...

• Has a master's degree in industrial engineering (technologies) – chemistry.
• Has knowledge of hydrometallurgy, materials science, process technology and is eager to learn more. Training on the job is part of our culture.
• Is self‑organized, proactive and stress resistant.
• Enjoys collaborating with many colleagues from different corners of the Umicore community.
• Can report clearly and in a structured manner, both orally and in writing
• Speaks Dutch (or is committed to learn on a short term) and is proficient in English
• Is fluent with Microsoft applications. Experience with supporting and scientific software (data analysis, statistics, flowsheet modelling,…) is a strong asset, as well as basic understanding of computer programming.

What we offer

We aim to lead the way. Not just for our customers, but for our employees too. That is why we strive to create a collaborative environment in which we can all succeed, and a culture through which we can all share ideas, develop our expertise and advance our careers. We engage in building an inclusive work culture that offers equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of their diverse backgrounds. As you would expect from a world-leading organisation, we will also reward your contribution with a competitive salary and benefits. With all this and more, imagine what you could do?