Practice Area Leader (Industrial Furnaces Non-Ferrous Metallurgy) / Bereichsleitung Industrieöfen (N

Requisition ID: 98407 

Job Category: Technology 

Location: Essen, North Rhine, Germany 
 

Join a company that is passionately committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change. With more than 70 years of business and technical expertise in mining, energy, and infrastructure, our 10,000 colleagues in 150 countries tirelessly work toward bettering the industries in which we operate. With practical solutions that are safe, innovative and sustainable, we think globally while acting locally. Are you looking for an opportunity to join a diverse group of professionals who are committed to remaining exceptional? We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Our Technologies team commercializes and delivers technologies across all three of Hatch's sectors: Metals, Energy, Infrastructure. We're a team of innovators and problem solvers who deliver custom and specialized engineering to deliver novel solutions and technologies.

 

Hatch Küttner GmbH – Essen, Germany or Katowice, Poland

At Hatch Küttner, we’re driven by curiosity, passion, and a commitment to creating positive change for our clients, our communities, and the industries we serve. If you’re looking for an opportunity to apply deep technical expertise while shaping the future of metals processing technologies, we want to hear from you.

 

We are looking for a Practice Area Leader (Industrial Furnaces Non-Ferrous Metallurgy) to join our Technologies team. In this senior role, you will drive innovation, standardization, and technical excellence across design, project execution, operation, and lifecycle management of tilting and rotating furnace systems (including, for example, Top Blown Rotary Converters (TBRCs), rotating and drum-type furnaces etc.). This role is both strategic and hands-on, responsible for technical leadership, design governance, business development and project delivery support, and development of best practices applicable to copper, PGM, recycling and other pyrometallurgical operations.

 

Hatch Küttner brings decades of experience in the metals sector, delivering engineering excellence, technology development, and project execution for both greenfield and brownfield sites. Your leadership will help us continue to set the standard for safe, efficient, and sustainable design.

 

Your Role

As a Practice Area Leader (Industrial Furnaces Non-Ferrous Metallurgy) , you will:

• Serve as Hatch Küttner’s global mechanical subject matter expert for rotating and tilting furnace technologies
• Support the business development team by providing technical expertise during client engagements to develop custom solutions for their applications and challenges
• Lead the global tilting and rotating furnace engineering practice, establishing and maintaining design standards & governance, engineering guidelines, quality assurance and best practices.
• Maintain overall technical responsibility for the detail design, delivery and commissioning of complete systems provided to clients including advanced mechanical engineering packages, encompassing crucible design and refractory integration, hydraulic systems, sealing systems, burners & lances and offgas interfaces‑gas interfaces
• Drive research, innovation and product development across furnace designs.
• Work with the supply chain management team to maintain relationships with fabricators and vendors to ensure high-quality, cost-effective equipment design and fabrication, and FAT/SAT activities, and to ensure that all quality standards and client specifications are met
• Provide technical assistance and expertise, from home office or on-site, during the integration of the equipment into the overall plant design, as well as throughout equipment erection and installation, commissioning, start-up and operational readiness of systems supplied by Hatch Küttner
• Work with asset performance management teams to ensure ongoing performance improvements and operations support including managing mechanical integrity, process and reliability improvements, root cause analysis investigations, and other continuous improvement initiatives as may be appropriate.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to building the next generation of pyrometallurgical equipment expertise within Hatch Küttner.

 

What You Bring

•  Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent). A PhD is an advantage and will be considered a strong asset.
• 15+ years of heavy mechanical engineering experience in smelting, converting, pyrometallurgy, or high temperature rotating/tilting equipment.
• Recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in tilting and rotating furnace design with proven expertise in the delivery and operation of tilting and rotating furnaces, (e.g. holding, converting, anode furnaces)
• Demonstrated leadership as a technical authority, senior specialist, or project lead
• Strong technical knowledge of rotating machinery, hydraulics, gear drives, burners/lances, and high temperature mechanical design, refractory knowledge is an asset.
• Experience delivering full mechanical systems (including the integration of auxiliary systems and equipment), supporting EPCM and equipment Design & Supply projects
• The ability to apply sound engineering judgment, challenge designs, and interpret complex mechanical analyses
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary teams and client organizations
• English proficiency is required.

 

Why Join Us?

 At Hatch Küttner, you’ll be part of a community of passionate experts—engineers, innovators, and problem solvers — working together to solve the toughest challenges in the metals industry. You will have the opportunity to:

• Shape the future of rotating and tilting furnace technologies
• Influence design, safety, reliability, and innovation across global operations
• Lead complex mechanical challenges with measurable industry impact
• Mentor future leaders and contribute to the growth of our global expertise

 

What We Offer

•  Long-term career development in a global, employee owned company
• Opportunities to collaborate with world‑class specialists
• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive work environment

Don't meet every single requirement? You don't need to. At Hatch, we are building a diverse, inclusive workplace that fosters innovation. If you're interested in this role, we encourage you to apply even if your past experiences don't perfectly align with the skills we've listed.

 

We're committed to fostering a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate and serve. Hatch is an Equal Opportunity Employer that considers applicants without regard to age, race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran, or any other protected status. If you have any accommodation requirements, please let us know. We'll do our best to meet your needs in accordance with applicable local legislation.