4.1. Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Phoenix-Tailings; Exeter (NH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Stock options

Unlimited PTO

Learning & development

Collaborative team

Job summary

Phoenix Tailings (Exeter, NH) is seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to design and scale production systems for rare earth metals. You will translate metallurgical processes into production-ready equipment plans, set standards, and build the engineering function to support rapid growth.

The role combines hands-on manufacturing expertise with technical leadership to create a domestic, scalable production capability and a best-in-class engineering organization that can meet ambitious throughput

Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters in a technical discipline.
• 10+ years in manufacturing/production engineering or related roles.
• Experience leading scale-up of complex systems to production.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, scale-up, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes.
• Own engineering strategy for major production systems including equipment architecture and controls.
• Oversee selection, installation, qualification, and ramp-up of new equipment.
• Build and develop the manufacturing engineering team.
• Drive root-cause investigations and durable corrective actions.
• Define process requirements and acceptance criteria for new tech.
• Lead trials, validation, and capability assessments for production readiness.
• Use data and capability analyses to prioritize high-impact investments.
• Provide technical leadership across equipment design, process development, and scaling.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Process Optimization

Root-Cause Analysis

Equipment Specification

GD&T

CAD

Team Leadership

Scale-Up

Production Systems

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering

Tools

CAD (SolidWorks/AutoCAD)

Job description

About Phoenix Tailings

Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly-growing clean mining and metals production startup dedicated to sustainable and economic critical metals production. Our mission is to be the world's first fully clean mining and metals production company, producing the resources needed for the next generation of our economy.

Why Phoenix Tailings

At Phoenix Tailings, we believe that nothing great is ever accomplished alone or without the passion of people who push and motivate one another. If you are someone who shares our relentless pursuit of a better future, passion for innovation, and are excited about working with some of the top innovators in the world, then this is the place for you.

Our Values

• You are only crazy if you are wrong, it's ok to be wrong
• Lead with Compassion
• Be Resourceful
• Listen
• Hustle

Who We Are Looking For

Phoenix Tailings is looking for a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to help build both the manufacturing systems and engineering team required to scale our rare earth metals production in Exeter.

This role will take ownership of some of the most important manufacturing challenges in the company, from translating developing metallurgical processes into production-ready systems to defining equipment architecture, process capability, throughput, reliability, and cost. You will also play a central role in building the manufacturing engineering function, establishing technical standards, developing engineers, and creating the systems and practices that allow the team to scale alongside production.

We are looking for an engineer who combines deep hands-on manufacturing experience with strong technical leadership and who is excited by the opportunity to help build an entirely new domestic rare earth metals industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development, scale-up, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes used to produce rare earth and critical metals, driving measurable improvements in throughput, yield, reliability, quality, safety, and cost.
• Own the manufacturing engineering strategy for major rare earth production systems, including equipment architecture, process flow, tooling, controls, maintainability, and scalability.
• Lead the specification, design review, installation, commissioning, qualification, and ramp-up of new production equipment required to expand Phoenix Tailings' rare earth manufacturing capacity.
• Build and develop the manufacturing engineering team, helping define roles, technical expectations, engineering standards, and the capabilities required to support rapidly scaling production.
• Drive root-cause investigations and resolution of complex process and equipment failures, implementing durable engineering solutions that improve long-term production stability.
• Define process requirements, operating windows, manufacturing standards, and technical acceptance criteria required to transition new rare earth processing technologies into reliable production.
• Lead engineering trials, process validation, scale-up studies, and capability assessments that reduce technical risk and establish production-ready manufacturing methods.
• Use production data, process capability, equipment performance, and capacity analysis to identify constraints and prioritize the highest-impact manufacturing investments and improvements.
• Serve as a technical leader for manufacturing engineering, developing best practices and guiding technical decisions across equipment design, process development, production scale-up, and manufacturing readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Masters’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, production engineering, equipment engineering, metals manufacturing, chemical processing, or a related industrial environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading the development, scale-up, and improvement of complex manufacturing or process systems from development through sustained production.
• Experience building, developing, or technically leading manufacturing engineering teams in a rapidly growing production environment.
• Strong experience with equipment specification, commissioning, qualification, process validation, production ramp-up, and sustaining engineering.
• Deep experience with root-cause analysis, process optimization, equipment troubleshooting, and implementation of durable corrective and preventive solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to use production data, process capability, engineering experimentation, and structured problem-solving to drive significant manufacturing improvements.
• Strong working knowledge of engineering drawings, GD&T, CAD, equipment specifications, manufacturing documentation, and design-for-manufacturing principles.
• Abie to lift up to 50 lbs
• Able to wear a respirator for extended periods of time

We also offer the following benefits

• Healthcare: 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee
• Stock Options: Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company.
• Time Off: Unlimited PTO.
• Learning: Learning and development opportunities to grow your skills and career.
• Great team: Working with fun, hard-working, kind people committed to making a difference!

At Phoenix Tailings, we have an open culture that values learning, and we are looking to grow the team with enthusiastic individuals who share our vision of sustainable mining.

Phoenix Tailings, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at all levels. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information, or any other applicable protected characteristics, and these characteristics will not be a factor for consideration of any work-related decisions (including but not limited to hiring, firing, compensation, and discipline).