What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Director - Metallurgical and Process Optimization position at Big River Steel LLC?
Our organization is a leading domestic steel producer and metals recycler, operating advanced Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking, continuous casting, rolling, and galvanizing facilities. We are committed to operational excellence, cost leadership. We are seeking an experienced metallurgical leader to drive raw materials optimization, process improvement, and sustainability initiatives across our manufacturing network.
Position Summary:
The Senior Manager/Director of Metallurgical Operations & Raw Materials Optimization will lead the strategy, modeling, and execution of raw materials procurement and consumption (scrap, pig iron, HBI/DRI, alloys, and flux) across multi-billion-dollar annual spend categories. This role combines deep metallurgical expertise with advanced optimization techniques to reduce the cost of steelmaking and continuous casting while maintaining product quality and supporting the company's profitability roadmap.
Key Responsibilities:
Raw Materials & Cost Optimization
• Lead planning, procurement strategy, and consumption modeling for scrap, pig iron, and HBI/DRI across multiple production facilities.
• Develop and deploy online optimization models for scrap and alloy selection, EAF energy/chemical control, and grade transition during continuous casting to minimize production cost.
• Drive least-cost production strategies across steelmaking, casting, rolling, and galvanizing processes.
• Identify and execute cost-reduction initiatives with measurable, multi-million-dollar annual savings.
Process & Product Optimization
• Oversee metallurgical thermodynamics, slag-metal reactions, heat/mass transfer, and fluid flow analysis to improve process performance.
• Apply computational fluid dynamics (CFD), physical modeling, and mathematical/numerical modeling to steelmaking process improvement.
• Develop and implement secondary steelmaking (ladle metallurgy) advisory systems for least-cost alloying, desulfurization, and heating.
• Lead continuous casting yield-enhancement and scheduling initiatives, including grade-transition and secondary reduction modeling.
Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Build, mentor, and lead cross-functional teams of metallurgists and engineers across melting, casting, rolling, and galvanizing units.
• Partner with finance, sales, and operations to develop profit-margin/EBITDA advisory models balancing operational, financial, and commercial priorities.
• Support merger & acquisition due diligence (finance, commercial, operations, IT, HR) and post-acquisition synergy development as needed.
• Communicate technical findings and business recommendations clearly to plant leadership and executive stakeholders.
Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering (required); advanced degree (M.S./Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering) strongly preferred.
• MBA or equivalent business training a plus.
• 15 years of progressive experience in EAF steelmaking, secondary steelmaking, continuous casting, and/or rolling operations.
• Demonstrated track record of reducing production costs through modeling, optimization, and process improvement (quantifiable results expected).
• Deep technical knowledge of metallurgical thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, fluid flow, and slag-metal reactions.
• Experience with raw materials strategy for scrap, pig iron, and HBI/DRI at scale (multi-billion-dollar procurement/consumption).
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification or equivalent continuous-improvement credential preferred.
• Experience with green-field and/or brown-field capital project execution a plus.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex technical data into actionable business recommendations.
• Global or multi-site operational experience preferred.
Preferred Attributes:
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a hands-on, results-driven leadership style.
• Experience representing technical functions in sustainability/decarbonization initiatives.
• History of industry engagement (conference presentations, publications, technical committee involvement, e.g., AIST, TMS, or equivalent professional bodies).
• Experience mentoring engineers/metallurgists and building high-performing technical teams.
Position Summary:
The Senior Manager/Director of Metallurgical Operations & Raw Materials Optimization will lead the strategy, modeling, and execution of raw materials procurement and consumption (scrap, pig iron, HBI/DRI, alloys, and flux) across multi-billion-dollar annual spend categories. This role combines deep metallurgical expertise with advanced optimization techniques to reduce the cost of steelmaking and continuous casting while maintaining product quality and supporting the company's profitability roadmap.
Key Responsibilities:
Raw Materials & Cost Optimization
• Lead planning, procurement strategy, and consumption modeling for scrap, pig iron, and HBI/DRI across multiple production facilities.
• Develop and deploy online optimization models for scrap and alloy selection, EAF energy/chemical control, and grade transition during continuous casting to minimize production cost.
• Drive least-cost production strategies across steelmaking, casting, rolling, and galvanizing processes.
• Identify and execute cost-reduction initiatives with measurable, multi-million-dollar annual savings.
Process & Product Optimization
• Oversee metallurgical thermodynamics, slag-metal reactions, heat/mass transfer, and fluid flow analysis to improve process performance.
• Apply computational fluid dynamics (CFD), physical modeling, and mathematical/numerical modeling to steelmaking process improvement.
• Develop and implement secondary steelmaking (ladle metallurgy) advisory systems for least-cost alloying, desulfurization, and heating.
• Lead continuous casting yield-enhancement and scheduling initiatives, including grade-transition and secondary reduction modeling.
Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Build, mentor, and lead cross-functional teams of metallurgists and engineers across melting, casting, rolling, and galvanizing units.
• Partner with finance, sales, and operations to develop profit-margin/EBITDA advisory models balancing operational, financial, and commercial priorities.
• Support merger & acquisition due diligence (finance, commercial, operations, IT, HR) and post-acquisition synergy development as needed.
• Communicate technical findings and business recommendations clearly to plant leadership and executive stakeholders.
Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering (required); advanced degree (M.S./Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering) strongly preferred.
• MBA or equivalent business training a plus.
• 15 years of progressive experience in EAF steelmaking, secondary steelmaking, continuous casting, and/or rolling operations.
• Demonstrated track record of reducing production costs through modeling, optimization, and process improvement (quantifiable results expected).
• Deep technical knowledge of metallurgical thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, fluid flow, and slag-metal reactions.
• Experience with raw materials strategy for scrap, pig iron, and HBI/DRI at scale (multi-billion-dollar procurement/consumption).
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification or equivalent continuous-improvement credential preferred.
• Experience with green-field and/or brown-field capital project execution a plus.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex technical data into actionable business recommendations.
• Global or multi-site operational experience preferred.
Preferred Attributes:
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a hands-on, results-driven leadership style.
• Experience representing technical functions in sustainability/decarbonization initiatives.
• History of industry engagement (conference presentations, publications, technical committee involvement, e.g., AIST, TMS, or equivalent professional bodies).
• Experience mentoring engineers/metallurgists and building high-performing technical teams.