About Us

Alta is reinventing how the world sources critical minerals — using protein-based chemistry to extract rare earth elements and other essential materials from challenging feedstocks with unmatched selectivity. By dramatically reducing the cost and environmental impact of mineral separation, Alta is making it possible to unlock new sources of supply for 21st-century technologies. As global demand accelerates, securing these materials has become one of the most urgent challenges facing U.S. competitiveness and national security. Backed by top investors and government partners, Alta is growing fast and hiring mission-driven scientists and engineers to help us scale our platform and transform the future of mining.

How we work

Speed is part of our DNA. We’re building first-of-a-kind technology and facilities, which means the path isn’t always mapped. We’re comfortable with ambiguity: making sound, timely decisions guided by clear priorities, adapting quickly as we learn, and keeping a relentless focus on moving our business forward. We commit to fixed milestones on compressed timelines and hold ourselves accountable without compromising on safety or rigor.

Principal Instrumentation & Controls (I&C) Engineer

Reports to: VP Engineering

Role Summary

Alta is seeking a talented Instrumentation & Controls Engineer to join our growing Engineering and Operations team. This role will lead operational support, maintenance efforts and design efforts across all scales and projects, which include R&D activities, pilot plant operation, demonstration plant operation, and design of upcoming commercial plants. This role will help form the technical know-how and systems to Engineer Commercial Scale Plants and Licensing Packages. This role will be a key contributor to our innovation pipeline.

A successful candidate should have experience with equipment and process design in the Chemicals, Petrochemicals, Oil & Gas, Biotech, and/or Mining Process Industries; having worked for operating companies, EPCs and/or licensors. A successful candidate is one who can both jump in and troubleshoot problems on their own and also elevate to provide technical leadership and oversight over the discipline. There should be a strong desire to collaborate across disciplines including chemistry, biology, operations and engineering.

Key Responsibilities

Operational & Maintenance support of R&D Assets

This role will own operational support, maintenance, reliability, continuous improvement and design of all EIC (Electrical, Instrumentation, Controls) and Operations Technology (OT) equipment and systems at R&D scale (pilot and demonstration scale plants)
Provide hands on technical support and troubleshooting for instrumentation, analyzers, controls, PLC/SCADA, electrical systems and other Operations Technology (OT) equipment and systems
Set up and manage all aspects of PLC/SCADA, instrumented safety systems, alarm management and data historian
Create and manage maintenance strategies for all Instrumentation, Electrical, Controls and OT equipment including reactive and preventive maintenance strategies, sparing strategies, redundancy, availability and maintainability
Commission instrumentation and control systems on the demonstration plant, including loop checks, calibration verification, improving instrumentation and troubleshooting EIC problems that are found during commissioning
Liaise with and manage equipment vendors for EIC commissioning activities
Drive reliability initiatives and continuous improvement through performance analysis and root cause investigations
Configure and troubleshoot VFDs, control valves, actuators, and motor controls
Support operations with loop tuning

Design & Engineering

Liaison with EPC/EPCM to manage all EIC and OT related activities
Lead vendor evaluation and engagement from EIC and OT perspectives
Specify and size field instrumentation/analyzers (e.g. flow, level, pressure, temperature, density, pH, ORP, CEMS, BMS, conductivity etc.)
Specify PLC/DCS/SIS requirements and the network architecture