Job Requirements

Ucore is a TSX-listed company commercializing its patent-pending RapidSX™ rare earth element (REE) separation technology through the advancement of its first commercial REE processing and rare earth oxide (REO) production facility in Alexandria, Louisiana. This facility, the Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex (SMC), is currently under development with engineering underway as of August 2026. Ucore also continues to enhance and demonstrate its technology at its RapidSX™ Commercialization and Demonstration Facility (CDF) in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

The company consists of a small team, with resources located globally and seeks to appoint a Maintenance/Reliability Engineer to join its team. This role will lead the implementation of corporate initiatives, as defined. Regular travel within the USA and Canada will be required.

The Maintenance/Reliability Engineer, reporting to the Operations Manager, will work independently and with other plant personnel to provide oversight in planning, preventive, and predictive and break down maintenance. This role will help ensure the safe, efficient and compliant operation of the plant, including monitoring production processes and troubleshooting equipment issues, while meeting production goals, minimizing downtime, and maintaining high-quality standards in a safe work environment. Selected candidates will be involved with equipment installations, and the startup and commissioning of manufacturing and facilities equipment. All tasks will be performed while supporting the policies, goals, and objectives of the organization.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Asset Health Monitoring: Track performance of specialized RapidSX equipment (e.g., heavy-duty chemical pumps, organic/aqueous fluid flow systems, agitation gear, piping, and support equipment including scrubbers, chillers, air compressors, kilns, and filtration equipment) using condition-based monitoring tools like vibration and oil analysis.
2. Failure Analysis: Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) for chronic breakdowns, seal leaks, or chemical compatibility issues to prevent repeat events.
3. Maintenance Strategy: Design and update Preventive Maintenance (PM) and Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) programs within the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
4. Safety & Compliance: Ensure all mechanical integrity standards, environmental safety rules, and hazardous area protocols are strictly followed during repairs and plant turnarounds.
5. Process & Equipment Reliability: Plan the maintenance of specialized extraction units, piping, pumps, and recovery systems to maintain scheduled uptime greater than 95%.
6. Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Enforce strict adherence to Process Safety Management (PSM), OSHA, and EPA regulations due to volatile or hazardous solvent usage such as concentrated acid, concentrated bases, and organic extractants.
7. Budget & Inventory Control: Plan annual repair budgets, capital improvement projects, and critical spare parts inventory.
8. Other: Lead root cause analysis of any unscheduled downtime and time to recover.

Essential Requirements

1. Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
2. Experience: 5–10 years of industrial plant maintenance planning experience, with at least 2–5 years in a reliability engineering role within a chemical, oil/gas, or heavy processing environment.
3. Technical Skills: Proficiency with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS/SAP), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and predictive maintenance technologies, including familiarity with Allen Bradley PLC controls.
4. Other: Proven track record of leadership in an industrial setting.

Desired Requirements

1. Experience with solvent extraction metallurgy is considered an asset.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 lbs. occasionally.
• Ability to travel.
• Ability to respond to emergency callouts outside normal working hours.
• Ability to walk and stand for extended periods throughout a plant environment.
• Ability to climb stairs, platforms, and access elevated or restricted areas.
• Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, and reach as needed for inspections.
• Ability to visually inspect equipment, systems, drawings, gauges, and work areas.
• Ability to hear alarms, equipment sounds, and communications in a noisy environment.
• Ability to work safely around machinery, dust, noise, vibration, and temperature extremes.
• Ability to wear required PPE and comply with all plant safety requirements.

FLSA Status: Exempt