The RoleMariana Minerals is seeking a highly motivated Process Engineer to support our next-generation minerals processing pilot plant in Houston. You will help design, deploy, and operate first-of-its-kind refining processes for critical minerals. This role is highly hands-on and will play a key role in bridging R&D and plant operations, helping scale technologies from laboratory development through pilot demonstration and ultimately to commercial production. You will work closely with technicians, engineers, and cross-functional teams to ensure processes are robust, safe, and ready for industrial deployment.
What You'll Do- Lead equipment and process design from concept through procurement, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and startup
- Operate, troubleshoot, and improve pilot-scale processing equipment in collaboration with pilot plant technicians
- Design and execute pilot-scale experiments to evaluate process performance, recovery, throughput, and product quality
- Develop and maintain key process documentation including PFDs, P&IDs, mass and heat balances, operating procedures, and control narratives
- Analyze experimental and operational data to identify opportunities for process optimization and scale-up
- Support development of automated plant monitoring and optimization tools in collaboration with software and machine learning teams
- Ensure safe operations by supporting EHS, hazard assessments, risk management, and management of change processes
Desired Qualifications- B.S., M.S., or PhD in Chemical Engineering or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in operations, process scale-up, or plant design in minerals processing, chemicals, specialty materials, oil & gas, or related industries
- Demonstrated experience driving equipment design, commissioning, and plant operation
- Strong understanding of relevant unit operations and equipment such as kilns, furnaces, ion exchange, solvent extraction, solid liquid separation, leaching, electrowinning, or similar technologies
- Ability to design experiments, troubleshoot complex processes, and analyze operational datasets
- Strong commitment to Health, Safety, and Environmental compliance
- Excellent technical writing, communication, and teamwork skills
- Comfortable working in fast-paced environments, wearing multiple hats, and managing ambiguity
Why Join Us?At Mariana Minerals, you'll be part of a
mission-driven team reshaping the way critical minerals are sourced and supplied globally. You'll have the autonomy to make big decisions, the tools to innovate, and a culture that values ownership, smart automation, and collaboration.
Our culture is built on three principles:Extreme Ownership - We take full responsibility for outcomes, relentlessly driving toward solutions.
Engineer Out Requirements, then Automate - We simplify, optimize, and then automate for scale.
Share Your Legos - We collaborate openly, share knowledge, and empower each other to build bigger, better solutions.
Join us as we build the future of responsible mineral sourcing and supply.
