Lead Operator

marianaminerals; Mineola (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Mariana Minerals seeks an Operator Lead to oversee shift-level plant operations at the Joaquin, TX facility, directing a small crew and ensuring production targets are met with safety and quality in mind.

You will monitor process equipment, coordinate with the Director of Operations and Process Engineering, and mentor operators while maintaining rigorous documentation and log entries.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years in plant or industrial operations.
• Experience directing a small team preferred.
• Ability to read P&IDs and SOPs.
• Comfort with chemicals and PPE.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds and work around equipment.
• Willingness for rotating shifts.
• Experience with hydrometallurgy, mining, or battery materials is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate shift crew; assign tasks across production areas.
• Conduct shift-start safety stand-downs and communicate priorities.
• Monitor and control equipment via HMI and checks.
• Direct loading/unloading of trucks and packaging.
• Respond to process upsets and escalate as needed.
• Review logs and data; document plant activity in logs/CMMS.
• Coordinate with Maintenance to schedule repairs.
• Perform safety and housekeeping inspections.
• Train and mentor operators on procedures and safety.
• Support start-up, shutdown, and commissioning activities.

Skills

Shift leadership

P&ID reading

Safety protocol adherence

Troubleshooting

Documentation & record-keeping

Tools

Microsoft Office

SAP

Microsoft Project

SharePoint

Visio

Job description

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.

Position Summary

We are looking for an Operator Lead to oversee shift‑level plant operations at our Joaquin, TX facility, directing a small crew of operators through daily production activities while monitoring and controlling process equipment to meet quality, safety, and production targets. Our Operator Lead will serve as the primary point of contact between the shift crew and the Director of Operations / Process Engineering team, ensuring operations run efficiently, safely, and in compliance with standard operating procedures. This professional must be able to work in all areas of the plant, direct others under variable conditions, and exercise sound judgment with minimum supervision.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the shift crew, assigning tasks and priorities across production areas at the start of and throughout each shift.

• Conduct shift‑start safety stand‑downs and communicate priorities, hazards, and operational status to the crew.

• Monitor and control process equipment (tanks, pumps, filter presses, reactors, dryers, and packaging equipment) via HMI and manual checks to maintain plant parameters within target ranges.

• Direct loading/unloading of trucks, cleaning of filter presses, and packaging of products.

• Respond to process upsets and abnormal conditions, escalating to the Maintenance team or Process Engineer as needed and authorizing lockout/tagout for repairs.

• Review shift logs, production data, and quality results; ensure accurate and timely documentation of plant activity in log sheets and the CMMS/plant systems.

• Coordinate with Maintenance to prioritize and schedule repairs and preventive maintenance without disrupting production.

• Perform and verify routine safety and housekeeping inspections across assigned plant areas.

• Train and mentor operators on procedures, safety protocols, and equipment operation.

• Support plant start‑up, shutdown, and commissioning activities as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2‑4 years of plant or industrial operations experience, with prior experience directing or leading a small team preferred.

• Manufacturing, chemical processing, or industrial plant experience is preferred but not required; strong candidates from other operational backgrounds will be considered.

• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, standard operating procedures, and equipment manuals.

• Comfortable working with industrial chemicals and process equipment, and following established safety protocols.

• Sound troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify process or equipment issues and determine appropriate corrective action or escalation.

• Strong attention to detail with solid record‑keeping and basic mathematical skills.

• Ability to work in an environment involving exposure to chemicals, fumes, dust, and varying weather conditions, using required PPE.

• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds and work in and around industrial equipment.

• The use of the following software could be required: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Power Point, Outlook), Skype, Visio, Adobe (PDF), Share Point, SAP, Microsoft Project.

• Willingness to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required by plant operations.

• Hydrometallurgy experience Mining experience Battery material experience (desired)

Our culture is built on four principles:

Everyone Gets Home Safe. We never put speed or cost ahead of people.

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!