Laboratory Supervisor - Kwinana Refinery

About Us

At Covalent Lithium, we are genuinely passionate about creating a clean energy future and supporting our teams who enable this vision.

Following the commissioning of our mine and concentrator at Mt Holland in 2024, we recently celebrated our first production of battery -grade lithium hydroxide at our Kwinana Refinery. We are now a fully integrated mine-to-refinery operation, supplying high quality lithium hydroxide to global markets and enabling approximately 1 million electric vehicles to go on the road, every year for the next 50 years.

We are proud to foster a culture where people with different skills, experiences and backgrounds are welcomed and set-up for success.

Employee Benefits 

We support, empower and reward our people with a range of benefits:

• Competitive remuneration, and annual incentives for eligible employees
• Access to discounts, recognition and rewards
• Access to flexible work arrangements
• Dedicated wellbeing program support and discounted health insurance
• Equal access to paid parental leave, financial support, return to work and parenting room
• Salary sacrifice options for superannuation and novated leasing

The opportunity

As Laboratory Supervisor, you will shape, lead and grow a high-performing team in our Kwinana Laboratory—setting the culture, coaching capability, and ensuring safe, consistent delivery during commissioning and into steady-state operations. You’ll partner closely with Operations to provide accurate, timely data and technical support across the Refinery.

What you’ll lead 

•    Team leadership & culture: Build and lead a diverse team of Technicians; set expectations; coach for performance; drive engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing.
Safety leadership: Establish safe, sustainable systems of work from day one; champion Zero Harm through behaviours, observations, and continuous improvement. 
•    Capability & development: Train and mentor team members in Laboratory methods, LIMS use, and QA/QC disciplines; embed best practices and standard work. 

Technical leadership 

•    Analytical expertise: Provide hands-on guidance across ICP (and AAS,), sample preparation, titrations, digestions, and method validation. 
•    Quality systems: Own QA/QC routines (proficiency, audits, non-conformances, document control) to ensure data integrity and product quality. 
•    LIMS & data: Lead LIMS utilisation and data workflows that enable timely, reliable decisions for processing and product quality. 

Internal client liaison

•    Partnership with Operations: Act as the Laboratory’s primary interface to Processing, Product Quality, and Production—translating operational needs into analytical plans and turning Laboratory data into actionable insights. 
•    Service delivery: Maintain clear SLAs, communication rhythms, and escalation paths; align priorities with plant commissioning and ramp-up milestones

About you

•    Proven people leader in an industrial or process Laboratory, with a track record of coaching, performance management, and building strong team culture. 
•    Practical ICP experience (ICP-OES/ICP-MS ideal) and familiarity with refinery environments and metallurgical support. 
•    Strong QA/QC and method validation skillset; proficiency testing, audits, and document control. 
•    Confident stakeholder liaison with Operations and Product Quality teams; clear communicator who brings data to life for decision-makers. 
•    LIMS-literate, safety-focused, and comfortable leading through commissioning / ramp-up ambiguity. 

Location, roster & employment
•    Kwinana Refinery (WA)
•    Full-time, permanent. 
•    Sportsman’s Roster (12 hours shift 4 on / 5 off / 5 on  - to support 24-hour operation) 

A competitive remuneration package commensurate with the role, candidate experience, skills and qualifications will be offered.

Our team members are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Candidates from all backgrounds and ages are encouraged to apply, including First Nations People, those who identify as LGBTIQ+, people with disabilities and those with neurodiverse, intersectional, or multiple diverse characteristics.

Covalent Lithium is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, with a focus on our employees. We recognise skills, expertise, commitment and living our values of Purpose, Care, Accountability and Collaboration. Our goal is to attract, develop, motivate, reward, and retain the best people in the industry.