Contractual Remote Pilot Operator Jobs in Reno, NV

Lithium Resource, Brine Hydrogeology and Direct-Lithium-Extraction Specialists
Work arrangement: Remote within the United States, with potential international travel
Engagement: Contingent, part-time/on-call specialist
Anticipated compensation: $150-$300 per hour, depending on qualifications and assignment, or a negotiated fixed price by work package. $300 per hour is the maximum anticipated rate.
Opportunity
Axyde Analytics is assembling a multidisciplinary expert team for anticipated U.S. government-funded project-scoping assignments involving critical minerals and international infrastructure.
We seek multiple specialists covering lithium resources, brine systems, direct lithium extraction, conventional conversion and battery-grade product development. Potential assignments may involve evaluating projects in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, Europe and Eurasia, or the Indo-Pacific and preparing decision-grade technical, commercial and financial recommendations.
Axyde does not expect one candidate to cover every portion of the lithium value chain. Applicants should identify the areas in which they possess direct, demonstrable expertise.
Specialist Tracks
We are recruiting experts in one or more of the following tracks:

• Salar, oilfield, geothermal and other lithium-bearing brine resources
• Hard-rock spodumene and lithium-pegmatite resources
• Lithium-clay, sedimentary and unconventional resources
• Brine hydrogeology, aquifer modeling and reserve estimation
• Pumping, reinjection, reservoir response and subsidence
• Brine chemistry, variability, scaling and pretreatment
• Direct lithium extraction using adsorption, ion exchange, solvents, membranes or related technologies
• Evaporation, concentration, purification and crystallization
• Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide conversion
• Battery-grade purification and customer qualification
• Water balance, water rights and competing-user impacts
• Pilot design, representative feed testing and scale-up
• Lithium markets, pricing, offtake and project finance
• Environmental, community and Indigenous considerations

Potential Responsibilities
Depending on the assignment and specialist track, selected experts may:

• Evaluate lithium-resource quality, quantity, continuity and confidence.
• Review geological, hydrogeological and geochemical models.
• Assess pumping tests, reservoir response, recharge, reinjection and extraction sustainability.
• Evaluate brine variability, impurities, scaling, pretreatment and water-management requirements.
• Review DLE selectivity, recovery, media life, regeneration, reagent consumption and waste streams.
• Determine whether pilot testing adequately represents expected commercial feed conditions.
• Assess mass-balance continuity, process recovery, recycle streams and product specifications.
• Evaluate evaporation, conversion and battery-grade purification routes.
• Review technology maturity, operating references, vendor claims, warranties and scale-up risks.
• Identify decisive evidence gaps and define testwork or diligence required before advancement.
• Evaluate power, water, reagents, roads, logistics and associated infrastructure.
• Contribute to capital-cost, operating-cost, schedule and implementation assumptions.
• Assess customer qualification, market, pricing, offtake and financing requirements.
• Identify realistic opportunities for U.S. equipment, engineering, technology and services.
• Develop or review feasibility-study, technical-assistance or pilot-project terms of reference, budgets and schedules.
• Participate in sponsor, government, supplier, laboratory, customer or financing-source discussions.
• Support international meetings, site visits and field verification when required.
• Prepare concise analyses and recommendations for senior government decision-makers.
• Serve as a discipline lead, contributor, same-discipline alternate or independent technical reviewer.

Required Qualifications
Candidates should possess:

• At least 7-10 years of directly relevant professional experience, with greater experience preferred for discipline-lead and independent-review roles.
• A degree in geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, mining engineering, mineral processing, chemical engineering, metallurgy, environmental engineering or a closely related field.
• Direct responsibility for identifiable lithium projects, facilities, studies, test programs or commercial supply chains.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate assumptions, evidence quality, uncertainty and scale-up risk.
• Strong written and verbal English-language communication skills.
• Ability to prepare concise, decision-oriented technical work.
• Ability to collaborate across resource, process, environmental, commercial and financial disciplines.
• Either U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent-resident status in the United States.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally when an assignment requires it.
• No known employment, confidentiality, intellectual-property, noncompete or conflict-of-interest restriction that would prevent participation.

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