What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Engineer I - Process Engineering position at Freeport-McMoRan?
Where You Will Work Our global headquarters is in Phoenix, Arizona. Several hundred employees support our operations in finance, human resources, health and safety, information technology, planning, and more. Our flexible work program allows employees to work virtually as well as come together in person when needed at our Collaboration Hub in Phoenix and/or one of our site locations. Employees can work remotely from most states in the U.S., with the exception of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Additional states may be excluded from remote work based on business factors. Should the position shift to in-person (office/site) work in the future, the company will offer relocation benefits at that time, so long as the position meets the established eligibility for these benefits. What You Will Do As a technical leader, this role focuses on large‑scale growth projects and strategic initiatives, providing process engineering expertise, engineering leadership, and high‑level guidance throughout the project development cycle while collaborating across the organization to deliver sound engineering judgment and strategic insight. Review, verify, and approve engineering documents including PFDs, P&IDs, design criteria, mass/energy balances, equipment specifications, and metallurgical test work scopes. Ensure engineering deliverables conform to internal standards, project requirements, and best practices. In this role you investigate complex technical challenges and recommend practical, cost‑effective solutions grounded in engineering fundamentals Collaborate with discipline engineers, site teams, EPC partners, and stakeholders to ensure high‑quality execution Recommend improvements to engineering standards, workflows, tools, and design methodologies. As the Principal Engineer I - Process Engineering you support long‑range technical planning, capital budgeting, and strategic project evaluation Work closely with operations, geology, maintenance, project management, and corporate technical groups to deliver integrated solutions Ensure project and site teams implement engineering improvements and design recommendations Mentor and coach engineers and technical specialists to build internal capability, and contribute to internal technical guidelines, knowledge libraries, and best‑practice documents Ability to translate complex technical issues into actionable recommendations Ability to research and analyze complex information and draw valid conclusions Ability to develop and maintain awareness of occupational hazards and safety precautions Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively to technical and non‑technical stakeholders, verbally and in writing Experience supporting prefeasibility, feasibility, and FEL design stages. Experience with major capital project environments (EPC/EPCM experience advantageous). Familiarity with process modeling and mass/energy balance tools (e.g., Metsim, HSC, JKSimMet). Postgraduate degree or specialized training in extractive metallurgy or process design.