Head of Technology

Primobius is the result of a joint venture between Australian stock exchange-listed Neometals Ltd. and privately owned German plant engineering and technology specialist SMS group GmbH. Primobius offers a unique and sustainable method of recovering valuable lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other materials, for example carbon, from end-of-life or defective lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) from electric vehicles and consumer electronics. The recovered battery materials can be used directly in the production of new batteries.

This unique and advanced recycling solution fits smoothly into the circular economy, ensures that ethically sound materials are used, and helps to reduce not only waste but also our world's dependence on finite resources.

Become a part of our future at Primobius GmbH in the Düsseldorf area (NRW) where we're looking for a

You will lead a team organized into three capability areas: Commissioning Managers, Process Engineers, and R&D. You own the technological direction, engineering, standardization, and commissioning excellence for our battery recycling and adjacent process technologies including e.g. shredding and beneficiation and hydromet plants. Your responsibilities include, among others:

• Provide functional and disciplinary leadership to our technical team (commissioning, process engineering, R&D); establish clear roles, standards, and KPIs for delivery, safety, quality, and lifecycle performance
• Secure commissioning performance: develop commissioning plans, establish commissioning best practices and ensure smooth handover from engineering to commissioning with documented lessons learned and performance KPIs and steer commissioning on site (including but not limited to documentation packages, punchlists or readiness checklists)
• Implement and conduct targeted R&D initiatives in alignment with the Product Management department's vision; oversee make-vs-buy evaluations and manage qualification, testing and scale-up activities to ensure timely commercialization
• Manage technical risk and compliance: lead design reviews, FMEA/HAZOP inputs, safety‑critical system validations and ensure conformity with relevant standards and regulations
• Oversee and take ownership of all engineering activities: manage resourcing and priorities for basic engineering tasks, approve key design reviews, resolve technical queries, and implement corrective actions from lessons‑learned to continuously improve engineering quality and execution
• Budget, governance and reporting: control budgets, maintain transparent reporting of milestones, risks and decision points; implement stage‑gate reviews and go/no‑go criteria
• Leading the rollout of our engineering tool (Aveva) as the leading engineering tool, including budget and time responsibility

You have successfully completed an engineering degree above average, in mechanical and/or process engineering. We value:

• Excellent conceptual and analytical skills and ability to quickly familiarize yourself with disciplines outside your field
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams (Engineering, Commissioning, R&D) with ability to recruit, mentor, and develop high-performing personnel
• Experience in setting standards, governance, resource planning, and cross-functional collaboration to drive delivery excellence and innovation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and ideally in German to interact with global teams, vendors, customers, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management abilities to coordinate and align product vision, technical execution, regulatory compliance, and commissioning operations
• High resilience, flexibility, social competence, and willingness to travel as required by the role
• Analytical mindset coupled with pragmatic hands-on orientation
• Strong problem-solving skills and capacity for continuous improvement and innovation in product and process development

As an innovative and internationally active employer, we convince you with performance-based compensation. Additionally, we offer you the opportunity to balance family and work optimally, with flexible working hours and the option of remote work.

Have we convinced you to shape the future together with us? Then we look forward to receiving your online application. We will also be happy to answer your questions over the phone.

Primobius GmbH

People Management

Marleen Schäffer

E-Mail: marleen.-