Pilot Plant Operations Manager

The role

You will lead operations at the DSM Pilot Plant in Houston. You will manage the technician team and own the safe, reliable, round-the-clock operation of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical sections.

What you will do

• Lead the DSM pilot operations team including shift leads and technicians
• Design and run the shift schedule including rotation, coverage, and fatigue management
• Write and own the plant procedure library including startup, operation, and emergency response
• Own safe and reliable operation of the pyrometallurgical section
• Own safe and reliable operation of the hydrometallurgical section
• Manage the interface between the two sections
• Lead commissioning, startup, and campaign execution
• Own EHS on the floor including lockout and tagout and chemical handling
• Maintain operating records and reporting for air, stormwater, and hazardous waste
• Drive troubleshooting and root cause analysis on upsets and equipment failures

Required qualifications

• 5 or more years supervising a multi-shift team
• 10 or more years operating pilot or commercial scale process plants in minerals processing, metallurgy, or chemicals
• Hands-on operating experience in both pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes
• High temperature equipment experience including kilns, roasters, calciners, or furnaces
• Wet chemical unit operation experience
• Demonstrated safe handling of concentrated acids and bases, flammable solvents, and hazardous process gases
• Proven ownership of core safety work processes
• Commissioning and startup experience on new plants or new units
• Fluent with HMI, DCS or PLC systems and historians, and with PFDs, P&IDs, and control narratives
• Associate or Bachelor degree in engineering, metallurgy, or chemistry, or equivalent operating experience

Nice to have

• Startup environment experience preferred

About the company

Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company. They aim to supply critical minerals for energy, AI, and defense technologies by combining industry expertise with software and automation.