Leaching Portfolio Manager

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Holidays

Tuition assistance

Employee assistance

Insurance discounts

Career progression

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Freeport-McMoRan is seeking a senior engineering executive to lead economic and technical analytics across the L2LD portfolio. You will develop and maintain key assumptions, drive value realization, and prioritize opportunities to maximize long-term copper production and shareholder value.

The role involves evaluating new concepts, technologies, and development opportunities, coordinating with site teams, and guiding investment decisions through robust economic analyses in a hybrid work setting

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related discipline with eight years of experience in related engineering field, OR
• Master’s degree with six years of experience in related engineering field
• Advanced knowledge of heap leaching, copper recovery processes, mine planning, and mineral economics.
• Strong understanding of value modeling, economic evaluation methodologies, and uncertainty analysis.
• Experience evaluating emerging mining, metallurgical, and process technologies.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across the L2LD portfolio, driving value realization, opportunity development, and assumption management.
• Establish and maintain technical and economic assumptions that underpin portfolio value and prioritize opportunities.
• Lead identification, evaluation, and advancement of copper recovery opportunities across initiatives.
• Guide portfolio decision-making through economic analysis, value tracking, and technology assessments.
• Lead scoping-level economic assessments for new concepts, technologies, and development opportunities.
• Manage evaluation and advancement of third-party technologies, assessing readiness, viability, and risks.

Skills

Heap leaching

Copper recovery

Mine planning

Mineral economics

Value modeling

Economic evaluation

Uncertainty analysis

Emerging technologies

Data analytics

Communication skills

Stakeholder influence

Project development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Economic modeling tools

Engineering software

Data analytics platforms

Job description

At Freeport-McMoRan, we are committed to providing an employment package that recognizes excellence, encourages safe production and a culture supported by our core values. Here, you’ll find a collaborative environment where safety is a top priority, all opinions are valued, and people are empowered to grow in their career.

Where You Will Work

Our global headquarters is in Phoenix, Arizona. Several hundred employees support global operations in finance, human resources, information technology, planning and more from the main office, satellite offices or online. As a Hybrid employee, you’ll engage in virtual collaboration as well as attend in-person meetings at our Collaboration Hub in Phoenix or at one of our site locations. The Collaboration Hub provides an open, flexible workspace for individuals and teams to come together for various business needs. Amenities at the Hub include a working café, phone booths and meeting rooms with technology tools for virtual and in-person collaboration.In-person attendance may vary based on the position and department requirements.

Phoenix is the capital of the Grand Canyon State and enjoys mostly bright skies throughout the year. It is the perfect place if you enjoy the outdoors, love sports, concerts and other big city amenities or technology. There are great neighborhoods around Phoenix, with easy access to a major city, nature, the arts and many more amenities.

What You Will Do

Provide technical leadership across the Leach to the Last Drop (L2LD) portfolio, driving value realization, opportunity development, and assumption management. Establish, maintain, and continuously enhance the technical and economic assumptions that underpin portfolio value, ensuring opportunities are prioritized through sound engineering principles, economic rigor, and alignment with strategic objectives.

Lead the identification, evaluation, and advancement of copper recovery opportunities across both existing and emerging initiatives, including additive technologies, stockpile optimization, rehandling strategies, mill replacement alternatives, waste stockpile value capture, and other innovative recovery solutions. Guide portfolio decision-making through robust economic analysis, value tracking, technology assessments, and strategic prioritization to maximize long-term copper production, portfolio performance, and shareholder value.

• Lead the development, governance, and continuous enhancement of technical and economic assumptions across the L2LD portfolio, including recovery improvements, leach kinetics, additive performance, implementation requirements, uncertainty analyses, and confidence intervals that support portfolio value optimization.
• Oversee portfolio-level value realization tracking by monitoring performance against targets, validating delivered value, reconciling position statements, and assessing realized economic benefits across sites, projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Drive the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of future copper recovery opportunities, including rehandling strategies, mill replacement alternatives, waste stockpile value capture, additive deployment, emerging technologies, and other value-enhancing initiatives.
• Lead scoping-level economic assessments for new concepts, technologies, and development opportunities by building investment cases, quantifying value potential, evaluating uncertainties, and providing strategic recommendations to support portfolio prioritization and decision-making.
• Manage the evaluation and advancement of third-party technologies by assessing technical readiness, economic viability, deployment pathways, implementation risks, intellectual property considerations, and alignment with portfolio objectives.
• Partner with site, technology, metallurgy, planning, and operations teams to define data collection requirements, establish validation and testing programs, and strengthen the technical confidence required to accelerate opportunity development and value delivery
• Perform other duties as required.

What You Bring To Freeport

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related engineering discipline and eight (8) years of experience in related engineering field; OR
• Master’s degree in Engineering or related engineering discipline and six (6) years of experience in related engineering field

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of heap leaching, copper recovery processes, mine planning, and mineral economics.
• Strong understanding of value modeling, economic evaluation methodologies, and uncertainty analysis.
• Experience evaluating emerging mining, metallurgical, and process technologies.
• Ability to quantify technical and economic impacts of operational and technology changes.
• Strong understanding of statistical analysis, sensitivity analysis, and risk assessment methodologies.
• Experience with portfolio management, opportunity prioritization, and value realization tracking.
• Ability to synthesize large, complex data sets into actionable recommendations.
• Strong project development and opportunity-framing skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to influence decision-making across technical and operational organizations.
• Proficiency with economic modeling tools, data analytics platforms, and engineering software applications.

What We Offer You

Actual base pay is determined by experience, qualifications, skills and other job-related factors. This role is eligible for additional incentive compensation considerations based on company and individual performance. Additionally, this position is currently eligible for annual long-term incentive consideration. Long-term incentives are contingent upon authorized approval under the terms and conditions of the Company's plan and award agreements. More details will be shared during the hiring process.

• Affordable medical, dental and vision benefits
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer contribution/match
• Paid time off, paid sick time, holiday pay, parental leave
• Tuition Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Discounted insurance plans for auto, home and pet
• Internal progression opportunities
• Learn more about our competitive and comprehensive benefits package!

What We Require

Freeport-McMoRan promotes a drug/alcohol-free work environment using mandatory pre-employment drug testing as allowed by applicable laws.

Ability to travel domestically approximately once per month for business needs.

Ability to travel internationally 1 to 2 times per year for business needs.

Ability to work a hybrid schedule, including onsite attendance at the Tucson, AZ office (TCT) a minimum of 2 days per week.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Please be advised Freeport-McMoRan will never request payment for job-related expenses from applicants. If you receive any suspicious emails, please disregard them, and report the incident to [e-mail].