About Mariana Minerals

Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company on a mission to supply the critical minerals powering modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. We’re reimagining the minerals supply chain by combining deep industry expertise with advanced software, automation, and data-driven decision-making.

The Role

Mariana Minerals is looking for an experienced Pilot Plant Operations Manager to lead operations at our DSM Pilot Plant in Houston. The DSM pilot is a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated flowsheet that couples a high temperature pyrometallurgical section with a downstream hydrometallurgical refining section. You will own safe, reliable, round-the-clock operation of both sections and lead the technician team that runs them.

This is a highly hands-on leadership role. You will build the operating team from the ground up, take the plant through commissioning and startup, and then run structured campaigns that generate the process data and product samples the company depends on. You will work shoulder to shoulder with process engineers, R&D scientists, maintenance, and the analytical laboratory, and you will be accountable for the safety, quality, and throughput of everything that happens on the floor.

The role reports to the Houston site leadership team and carries direct responsibility for people, budgets for consumables and spares, shift structure, and operational readiness. You will set the safety culture for a plant that handles hot solids, molten material, combustion systems, process off-gas, concentrated acids and bases, and organic solvents.

What You Will Do

• Lead the DSM pilot operations team, including shift leads and technicians across the pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy sections. Recruit the team, develop shift leads into supervisors, and own training, qualification, and performance management.

• Design and run the shift schedule, including rotation pattern, campaign and turnaround coverage, call-out rotation, overtime and fatigue management, timekeeping, and attendance.

• Write and own the plant procedure library: startup, normal operation, shutdown, emergency response, and equipment-specific SOPs. Qualify every operator against them before independent work.

• Own safe and reliable operation of the pyrometallurgical section: drying, calcining or roasting, reduction or smelting furnaces, hot solids handling, and off-gas and scrubbing systems.

• Own safe and reliable operation of the hydrometallurgical section: leaching, solid liquid separation, solvent extraction or ion exchange, precipitation, crystallization, and effluent treatment.