Company Overview:
Lithium Americas is a North American resource and materials company focused on developing, building, and operating lithium deposits and chemical processing facilities. The company's flagship asset, Thacker Pass, is located in Humboldt County in northern Nevada and is the world's largest known measured lithium source and reserve. We are focused on safely and responsibly developing Thacker Pass to production to help strengthen national security and enable cleaner energy sources. We are committed to minimizing environmental impact, creating family-supporting jobs, and maximizing sustainable value for our stakeholders. Lithium Americas is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia and operates in the U.S., with offices in Reno, NV and Winnemucca, NV. The Company's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol LAC.Our Purpose, Vision and ValuesOur purpose, vision and values are the guiding principles that will serve as the cornerstone of our company's future direction and operations, aligning our team and organization towards our common goals. Our Purpose is to safely and sustainably produce lithium from Thacker Pass to enable North America to reduce dependence on foreign critical minerals and drive value for our stakeholders. Our Vision is to be North America's leading lithium producer to enable cleaner energy sources.
Our Values include:
Act with Integrity, Be Responsible and Act with Care, Commit to Excellence and Drive Innovation, and Be a Collaborative Partner. RoleWe are seeking a Senior Project Engineer to join the Engineering & Services team. In this role, you will provide technical and engineering leadership for early-stage studies, sustaining capital projects, operational improvement initiatives, and strategic infrastructure planning. You will help advance early-stage concepts into well-defined, viable studies and projects by coordinating multidisciplinary technical inputs, developing and reviewing engineering deliverables, evaluating alternatives, and preparing clear decision-support materials for senior management. Additionally, this position will also play a key role in advancing LAC's project stage-gate process through the development and implementation of standards, procedures, plans, templates, and supporting tools. The Senior Project Engineer will work closely with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Projects, the Technical Center, Permitting, and other functional groups to identify opportunities, develop practical solutions, and advance projects from concept through execution. The role will also support LAC's future power strategy and planning activities. The role is based at our Reno, Nevada office and reports to the Senior Director, Engineering & Services. Regular travel to Winnemucca, the Thacker Pass site, and contractor or vendor offices are required based on project needs.
Key Responsibilities:
Provide engineering leadership for assigned early-stage studies, sustaining capital projects, operational improvement initiatives, and strategic infrastructure studies. Advance early-stage concepts through the stage-gate/Front-End Loading (FEL) process by defining scope, developing technical information, evaluating alternatives, identifying key risks and assumptions, and preparing decision-support materials. Advance LAC's project stage-gate process through the development and implementation of standards, procedures, templates, plans, and supporting tools. Develop clear, concise presentations, reports, and recommendations for senior management and stage-gate decision reviews. Coordinate multidisciplinary technical inputs and deliverables across Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Safety, Environmental, Permitting, Procurement, Construction, the Technical Center, and other stakeholders. Support development of project scopes, schedules, cost estimates, risk assessments, execution strategies, and change documentation in collaboration with project management and project controls. Evaluate technical alternatives and participate in trade-off, value-engineering, constructability, operability, maintainability, and life-cycle cost reviews. Identify technical assumptions, constraints, interfaces, dependencies, and risks; recommend practical mitigation measures and communicate issues and decisions promptly. Coordinate with engineering consultants, contractors, and vendors; provide technical direction within assigned areas of responsibility and review deliverables for quality, completeness, and conformance with project requirements. Support engineering activities through detailed design, procurement, construction, commissioning, operational readiness, and handover, as required. Support development of LAC's future power strategy and planning, including evaluation of power requirements, infrastructure needs, supply alternatives, and long-term capacity considerations. Ensure engineering activities comply with applicable codes, standards, permits, company requirements, and site operating practices. Promote safe, environmentally responsible, and sustainable design and work practices and incorporate regulatory and community commitments into engineering activities. Build strong working relationships across functions and effectively coordinate with the Technical Center, Operations, Projects, Permitting, and other stakeholders to develop deliverables and achieve business objectives. Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with applicable environmental and regulatory requirements. Build and maintain trusted relationships across all teams while championing a culture that reflects and supports our Purpose, Vision, and Values. Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited institution.
Minimum 10 years of progressive engineering experience supporting multidisciplinary studies and capital projects in mining, mineral processing, chemical processing, or other heavy industrial facilities.
Working knowledge of project stage-gate/FEL processes and the engineering interfaces associated with project controls, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operational handover.
Demonstrated ability to advance ambiguous or early-stage concepts into clearly defined studies, projects, or decision-ready alternatives.
Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary technical work, collaborate effectively with project managers and functional stakeholders, and provide clear direction to consultants and vendors within assigned areas of responsibility.
Strong analytical, written, verbal, presentation, and organizational skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Ability to manage multiple technical assignments, exercise sound engineering judgment, constructively challenge assumptions, and develop practical, fit-for-purpose solutions.
Demonstrated initiative, ownership, and accountability for assigned areas of responsibility, with the ability to work effectively with limited supervision.
Personal commitment to Lithium Americas' Purpose, Vision, and Values.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in an operating plant, brownfield project, or active construction environment.
Experience with mineral processing, hydrometallurgy, chemical processing, utilities, electrical infrastructure, or other industrial infrastructure projects.
Experience developing early-stage concepts, FEL studies, business cases, or capital project proposals.
Experience preparing technical reports, executive presentations, and recommendations for senior management or stage-gate decision reviews.
Working at Lithium Americas: At Lithium Americas, we believe our people are our most valuable asset. We offer a collaborative and inclusive work environment, with opportunities for long-term growth and skills development. We are committed to building a diverse and respectful workplace and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds.
Equal Opportunity Statement:
Lithium Americas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, gender, disability, age, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. Lithium Americas is a North American resource and materials company focused on developing, building, and operating lithium deposits and chemical processing facilities. The company's flagship asset, Thacker Pass, is located in Humboldt County in northern Nevada and is the world's largest known measured lithium source and reserve. We are focused on safely and responsibly developing Thacker Pass to production to help strengthen national security and enable cleaner energy sources. We are committed to minimizing environmental impact, creating family-supporting jobs and maximizing sustainable value for our stakeholders.
