Electrical & Instrumentation Engineer

Company: Livent USA Corp
Location: Bessemer City
Posted on: February 14, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description About Rio Tinto: Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive. We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs—striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win and meet opportunities. About Rio Tinto Lithium: On 5 March 2025, Rio Tinto completed the acquisition of Arcadium Lithium and combined it with its Rincon asset to form Rio Tinto Lithium, establishing Rio Tinto as a global leader in the supply of energy transition materials and one of the world’s top lithium producers. Position Summary : The Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer is responsible for ensuring the reliability, compliance, enhancement, and expansion of the site’s electrical and instrumentation systems. This role provides technical leadership and oversight in the development, standardization, procurement, construction, and commissioning of electrical and instrumentation components and systems. The engineer will serve as a key technical authority while also overseeing contractor and internal team execution, ensuring alignment with corporate standards, safety regulations, and site-specific requirements. This position includes supervisory responsibilities and include direct mentorship and guidance of junior engineers and technicians involved in electrical and instrumentation tasks. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 1. Safety Leadership Champion a safety-first culture in all activities involving electrical and instrumentation systems. Ensure that safety is never compromised and that all personnel—employees and contractors—adhere strictly to site safety standards, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Conduct and support safety audits, job safety analyses, and safety observations; ensure all contractor and employee personnel receive appropriate training, especially in electrical safety and compliance. Lead or participate in incident investigations and root cause analyses, driving corrective actions to enhance site-wide safety performance. Participate in Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) teams and support continuous improvement in process safety practices. 2. Reliability and Compliance Oversight Lead the implementation of best practices for preventive and predictive maintenance (PM/PdM) of sensing, control, and electrical distribution equipment. Ensure that all maintenance activities comply with PSM, PSC, and MI standards and that reliability results are continuously evaluated against established criteria. Align the site's Electrical Mechanical Integrity (MI) procedures with Livent corporate requirements and all relevant codes and standards (e.g., NEC, NFPA). 3. Engineering, Design, and Documentation Direct the engineering design, review, and specification of E&I systems for both reliability and compliance. Prepare detailed electrical and instrumentation design packages, and maintain critical Process Safety Information, such as CAD drawings and loop sheets. Develop and maintain standardized approaches for E&I equipment selection and installation. 4. Capital Project Execution and Commissioning Work closely with internal stakeholders and external contractors to ensure E&I design and construction meet site standards and long-term reliability goals. Lead thorough and systematic handovers from project execution to commissioning teams to ensure safe and seamless startup. Evaluate contractor capabilities, manage procurement through SAP, and ensure high-quality project delivery. 5. Supervisory and Team Leadership Provide direct leadership to E&I technicians, contractors, and front-line supervisors, ensuring all work is executed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with technical requirements. Assign, monitor, and review the work of team members, ensuring alignment with project and maintenance objectives. Mentor and develop both internal staff and contractor teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and accountability. 6. Technical Expertise and Vendor Coordination Serve as the primary technical authority on all E&I matters for the site, providing expert troubleshooting and support to maintenance, operations, and engineering teams. Investigate and evaluate vendor products and services to ensure they meet site needs, safety expectations, and reliability standards. Other job duties as may be assigned from time to time. Education and Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or a related discipline. Professional engineering licenses or certifications are an advantage. 3–8 years of relevant experience in electrical and instrumentation engineering with a strong knowledge in instrumentation. Technical Skills: Proficient in control systems, PLC/DCS, SCADA, and instrumentation technologies. Familiarity with design tools like AutoCAD, EPLAN, or similar. Strong understanding of industrial standards and practices (e.g., IEC, IEEE, ISA, etc.). Knowledge of hazardous area classification and intrinsic safety design. Soft Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication and team collaboration abilities. Attention to detail and commitment to safety and quality. Knowledge and Skill Requirements: Proficient in Microsoft Office In-depth experience with process control instrumentation is required. Experience with electrolysis systems such as rectifiers and bus bar distribution involving motion controls is a plus. Safety Requirements: (position and location specific) All employees are expected to carry out their work functions in a healthy and safe manner, to encourage and support safe work practices at all times, and to report and/or rectify any unsafe conditions that may come to their attention immediately. Physical Demands: (position and location specific) The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to [50] pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision. Work Environment: (position and location specific) The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is frequently exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Personal Protective Equipment – (position specific) Must wear PPE as required based on job duties or when traveling to locations where PPE is essential. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. RIO TINTO LITHIUM employs people across a broad range of occupations in locations across the world. We are looking for people to join us in creating, developing, and improving our products, our processes, and our markets. Employees enjoy competitive compensation, a menu of work/life benefits and opportunities to continue developing their skills and building their career. RIO TINTO LITHIUM is an Equal Opportunity Employer, EEO, AAE, MFDV and supports a drug free workplace.

Keywords: Livent USA Corp, Kannapolis , Electrical & Instrumentation Engineer, Engineering , Bessemer City, North Carolina