Turnkey Group is seeking an experienced

Senior Process Engineer

to provide technical leadership across process design, project development, plant maintenance, operational support and continuous improvement activities. Reporting directly to the Director, this senior role will work across the full project and asset lifecycle, including concept development, feasibility studies, design development, detailed engineering, procurement support, construction, commissioning, plant optimisation and maintenance engineering. The successful candidate must have a minimum of

10 years’ post-graduate process engineering experience , with demonstrated expertise in

lithium mineral processing and ball mill circuits . This is a hands‑on technical role requiring a practical understanding of mineral processing plant design, operation and maintenance. You will work closely with clients, project teams, equipment suppliers, operations personnel and maintenance teams to develop safe, reliable and commercially effective processing solutions. The role will involve domestic travel and overseas travel from time to time to support projects, client facilities, supplier inspections, commissioning activities and operating plants. Key Responsibilities

Process Design and Development

Lead process engineering activities from concept and feasibility through to detailed design, construction and commissioning. Develop process design criteria, process descriptions, design philosophies and operating philosophies. Prepare and review process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, mass balances, water balances and energy balances. Complete process calculations and equipment sizing for mineral processing systems. Prepare equipment datasheets, technical specifications, scopes of work and procurement documentation. Review vendor proposals, drawings, calculations, equipment selections and technical submissions. Evaluate alternative process technologies and recommend solutions based on technical performance, capital cost, operating cost, safety, reliability and maintainability. Participate in multidisciplinary design reviews, constructability reviews, operability reviews and maintainability reviews. Provide process engineering input into capital cost estimates, operating cost estimates, project schedules and technical reports. Ensure designs are fit for purpose, practical to operate and maintain, and compliant with relevant project requirements and engineering standards. Lithium Processing

Provide technical leadership for lithium beneficiation and concentrator projects. Develop, review and optimise process flowsheets for spodumene and other lithium‑bearing ores. Provide engineering input across lithium processing stages, including: Crushing and screening Ore sorting and pre‑concentration Dense media separation Grinding and classification Magnetic separation Flotation and reagent systems Thickening and filtration Concentrate handling and storage Tailings and process water systems Review and interpret metallurgical testwork and translate results into process design parameters. Identify opportunities to improve lithium recovery, concentrate grade, plant throughput, water efficiency and product consistency. Assess the effects of ore variability, mineralogy, impurities, fines generation and circulating loads on plant performance. Support process development, testwork programmes and technology selection. Ball Mill and Comminution Circuits

Provide specialist engineering support for ball mill circuit design, operation, maintenance and optimisation. Complete or review mill sizing, power calculations, throughput assessments and comminution circuit evaluations. Assess and optimise: Mill operating conditions Mill loading and power draw Grinding media selection and consumption Mill liner design and wear performance Cyclone and classifier performance Circulating load Classification efficiency Product particle size distribution Slurry density and water balance Pumping and piping performance Investigate constraints affecting mill throughput, grind size, availability, energy consumption and downstream recovery. Support liner change strategies, mill inspections, shutdown planning and equipment condition assessments. Work with operations, maintenance teams,



metallurgists and equipment suppliers to implement sustainable circuit improvements. Assist with troubleshooting unstable or underperforming grinding circuits. Maintenance and Operational Support

Provide process engineering support to operating plants and maintenance teams. Investigate plant performance issues, process instability, recurring equipment problems and production constraints. Lead or support root cause analysis, defect elimination and continuous improvement activities. Review plant operating data and identify opportunities to improve: Throughput Recovery Product quality Plant availability Equipment reliability Energy efficiency Water consumption Reagent consumption Maintenance requirements Operating costs Develop practical plant modifications that improve operability, maintainability, access and reliability. Provide process input into maintenance strategies, shutdown scopes, inspection plans and critical equipment reviews. Support brownfield modifications, debottlenecking studies, plant upgrades and replacement equipment selection. Assist operations and maintenance personnel during shutdowns, plant start‑ups and periods of unstable operation. Ensure plant modifications are technically assessed and appropriately managed through the applicable change‑management process. Project Delivery and Commissioning

Provide process engineering support during procurement, fabrication, construction and installation. Respond to technical queries and review proposed design changes. Participate in supplier inspections, factory acceptance testing and site inspections. Prepare or review commissioning plans, commissioning procedures, check sheets and performance‑test criteria. Support pre‑commissioning, wet commissioning, ore commissioning, plant ramp‑up and performance testing. Analyse commissioning and operating data and recommend process adjustments or design modifications. Assist with the preparation of operating manuals, control philosophies, training materials and handover documentation. Confirm that completed systems meet the approved process design intent and performance requirements. Support operational readiness and the transition from project delivery into plant operations. Technical Leadership

Act as a senior technical authority for process engineering matters. Provide clear, practical and commercially informed technical advice to the Director, clients and project teams. Review and approve process engineering calculations and deliverables within delegated authority. Coordinate process engineering activities with mechanical, piping, civil, structural, electrical, instrumentation and control disciplines. Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and intermediate engineers, graduates, designers and consultants. Develop and improve engineering standards, templates, calculation methods and quality systems. Promote technical knowledge sharing, lessons learned and continuous improvement. Represent Turnkey Group in client meetings, technical workshops, design reviews and project presentations. Support tender preparation, proposals and business development activities as required. Provide regular technical and project updates to the Director. Health, Safety, Environment and Quality

The Senior Process Engineer will be expected to: Promote a strong safety culture and apply safety‑in‑design principles throughout the project lifecycle. Identify process and engineering hazards and eliminate or reduce risks through design. Participate in HAZOPs, risk assessments and design safety reviews. Ensure designs consider safe access, isolation, drainage, sampling, lifting, inspection and maintenance requirements. Comply with Turnkey Group’s health, safety, environmental and quality requirements. Ensure engineering deliverables are accurate, complete, appropriately reviewed and fit for purpose. Support compliance with applicable legislation,



standards, client specifications and environmental requirements. Promptly report and elevate safety, technical, quality and project risks. About You

To be considered for this position, you must have: A bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering or a related discipline. A minimum of

10 years’ post‑graduate process engineering experience

in mining, mineral processing or heavy industrial projects. Demonstrated experience in

lithium mineral processing or lithium concentrator projects . Demonstrated experience in

ball mill grinding circuits , including design, operation, maintenance, troubleshooting or optimisation. Experience working across both process design development and operating‑plant maintenance support. Strong experience preparing and reviewing: Process flow diagrams Piping and instrumentation diagrams Mass and water balances Process calculations Equipment sizing calculations Equipment datasheets and specifications Technical reports Experience with equipment selection, procurement support, technical bid evaluation and vendor document review. Experience with brownfield plant modifications, debottlenecking and plant improvement projects. Experience supporting commissioning, ramp‑up, performance testing or operational readiness activities. A practical understanding of mineral processing plant operations, maintenance requirements and process‑control interfaces. The ability to interpret metallurgical testwork, plant data and equipment performance information. Strong troubleshooting, analytical and problem‑solving capabilities. Sound engineering judgement and the ability to make transparent, defensible technical recommendations. Strong written and verbal communication skills. The ability to work effectively with clients, project teams, operations personnel, maintenance teams, suppliers and contractors. The ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high‑quality work within project deadlines. Willingness and ability to undertake domestic and overseas travel from time to time. The following experience will be highly regarded: Chartered Professional Engineer status or eligibility for chartered recognition. Experience in EPC, EPCM, design‑and‑construct or consulting environments. Experience with spodumene concentrators. Experience with crushing, screening, dense media separation, magnetic separation, flotation, thickening and filtration circuits. Experience with comminution modelling or process simulation software. Experience delivering both greenfield and brownfield mineral processing projects. Site‑based operational, maintenance or commissioning experience. Experience with project estimating, scheduling and commercial evaluation. Experience supporting international mineral processing projects. Experience developing control philosophies or working with advanced process‑control systems. Key Attributes

The successful candidate will be: Technically strong, practical and solutions focused. Comfortable working across both engineering design and operating‑plant environments. Safety conscious and committed to high‑quality engineering outcomes. Able to work independently while contributing effectively to multidisciplinary teams. Commercially aware, with an understanding of capital and operating cost drivers. Confident communicating complex technical matters to technical and non‑technical stakeholders. Capable of leading technical discussions and making decisions under pressure. Committed to mentoring others and sharing technical knowledge. Adaptable and willing to travel to project and operating sites. Professional, accountable and committed to continuous improvement. Why Join Turnkey ?

This position provides an opportunity to take a senior technical role across challenging lithium and mineral processing projects. You will work directly with the Director and contribute across the full project lifecycle, from early process development and design through to commissioning, maintenance support and plant optimisation. The role offers exposure to a broad range of technical challenges, clients, operating facilities and project locations, including opportunities for domestic and overseas travel.

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📌 Senior Process Engineer (North Sydney)
🏢 Turnkey Industrial Engineering
📍 North Sydney