The RoleMariana Minerals is seeking a highly motivated Plant Manager to lead the development and operation of our next-generation minerals processing pilot facility in Houston. You will be responsible for establishing and operating a first-of-its-kind pilot plant, including site setup, equipment design, construction, commissioning, start-up, and ongoing operations. You will help build and lead a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians to develop, test, and optimize innovative refining processes for critical minerals. This role serves as a critical bridge between R&D and commercial deployment, ensuring technologies are safely and effectively scaled from pilot to industrial production.
What You'll Do- Lead the design, construction, commissioning, and startup of Mariana's Houston pilot plant facility.
- Oversee day-to-day pilot plant operations to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient execution of minerals refining processes.
- Oversee the design and execution of pilot-scale experiments to validate reaction parameters, optimize yields, and demonstrate process reproducibility.
- Drive the creation and upkeep of process documentation including PFDs, P&IDs, mass/energy balances, and operating procedures.
- Recruit, build, and manage a team of engineers and technicians to support pilot plant development and operations.
- Collaborate with R&D, engineering, and commercial design teams to scale processes from lab development to commercial production.
- Own and manage the site budget, including capital expenditures, operating costs, and contractor/vendor management
- Establish and enforce Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) and Process Safety Management (PSM) programs and operational standards.
Desired Qualifications- B.S., M.S., or PhD in Engineering or a related field
- 10+ years of experience in operations, process scale-up, or plant design in minerals processing, chemicals, specialty materials, oil & gas, or related industries
- Demonstrated experience leading equipment design, construction, commissioning, and startup
- Strong understanding of relevant unit operations and equipment such as kilns, furnaces, ion exchange, solvent extraction, solid liquid separation, leaching, electrowinning, or similar technologies
- Experience translating R&D processes into pilot and commercial-scale operations
- Proven experience implementing EHS and Process Safety Management programs
- Strong leadership and project management skills with experience managing technical teams and complex projects
- Comfortable working in fast-paced environments, wearing multiple hats, and managing ambiguity
