What are the responsibilities and job description for the Process Metallurgist position at Nathan Trotter & Co., Inc.?
About the role
Nathan Trotter & Co., Inc., a 235-year-old, family-owned nonferrous metals manufacturer, is expanding our tin and tin-alloy production from both primary (cassiterite/ore) and secondary (scrap, oxides, drosses) feedstocks, in partnership with the United States’ government’s Defense Production Act Title III program. We are seeking an experienced Metallurgist to own end-to-end process performance across electric arc furnaces (EAF), rotary and sweat furnaces, and downstream vacuum distillation and kettle refining, plus automated casting. You will be the technical leader on shift stability, recovery, metal quality, and continuous improvement—working shoulder-to-shoulder with operators, maintenance, EH&S, and the lab.
What you’ll do
Feedstock & blending: Build feed recipes for mixed primary and secondary inputs; model mass/energy balances, anticipate deleterious elements, and manage circulating loads (drosses, skims, flues).
Process ownership: Define and control operating windows for EAF, rotary, and sweat furnaces; optimize charge makeup, slag chemistry, reductant/flux balance, tapping, throughput, and cost targets.
Refining excellence: Lead vacuum distillation and kettle refining campaigns to meet impurity and alloy specs (e.g., Pb, Bi, Sb, As, Cu, Fe). Establish cut points, temperature/pressure profiles.
Quality & metallurgy: Partner with QA/lab (XRF/OES) on sampling plans, melt certification, and root-cause analysis for out-of-spec events; drive corrective actions.
Asset health: Collaborate with maintenance on furnace campaigns, off-gas/air systems, condensers, kettles, and vacuum hardware; specify repairs and spares.
Safety & environmental: Champion safety. Support compliance on emissions control, baghouse/ventilation, waste handling, and spills.
What you bring
Degree: B.S. or higher in Metallurgical/Materials, Chemical, or Metallurgical Process Engineering (or closely related).
Background: 5 years in nonferrous smelting/refining (tin preferred; lead, copper, zinc, precious metals, steel, or aluminum melt/refine experience valued).
Unit ops: Hands-on experience with EAF (or other pyro furnaces), rotary/sweat furnaces, vacuum distillation, and kettle or ladle refining.
Metallurgy: Strong grasp of pyro/refining thermodynamics & kinetics, slag/metal equilibria, activity coefficients, vapor-pressure-driven separations, and impurity control.
Analytical: Comfortable with mass/energy balances, heat/matter transfer, and statistical process control; Excel (or similar).
People: Clear communicator who can train, coach, and align cross-functional teams in a 24/7 environment.
Nice to have
Experience with secondary feed preparation, scrap grading, dross management, and return-metal recovery.
Exposure to RCRA/air permitting basics and hazardous waste handling in smelting contexts.
Work environment
Schedule: On-site, day shift with on-call/after-hours support as needed for campaigns and trials.
Physical: Periodic work in hot and dusty areas; use of PPE; ability to climb stairs/ladders.
Travel: ≤5% for vendor visits, trials, or conferences.
Why Nathan Trotter
Family company that treats employees like family.
Competitive pay with annual bonus; shift/weekend differential when applicable.
Medical, dental, vision; pension plan; generous paid time off and holidays.
Tuition support for short courses and professional development.
Real ownership of a high-impact value stream in a growing U.S. operation.
Eligibility & compliance
Work authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States. Roles involving export-controlled technology may require U.S. person status as defined by ITAR/EAR.
Nathan Trotter is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment.
Questions: Contact tyler@nathantrotter.com
Reports to: Chief Operating Officer
Compensation: Commensurate with Experience
Job Type: Full-time
Projected Total Compensation: $75,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Salary : $75,000 - $150,000