Mobile Equipment and Fleet Engineer

Mariana Minerals; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Mariana Minerals seeks a Mobile Equipment and Fleet Engineer to build and optimize the production fleet for open pit mining operations. You will define specs, evaluate OEMs, and drive autonomy integration from planning to field deployment.

You will collaborate with operations, maintenance, procurement, OEMs, autonomy vendors, and MarianaOS software teams to deliver a productive, data-driven fleet with clear lifecycle economics.

Qualifications

• Background in mobile equipment engineering or fleet management in mining or heavy equipment.
• Strong understanding of mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and control systems.
• Experience with autonomous or remotely operated equipment and retrofits.
• Ability to develop fleet and lifecycle cost analyses and make recommendations.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across operations, maintenance, procurement, and software teams.
• Curiosity and initiative to drive improvements in the field.

Responsibilities

• Fleet selection and autonomy.
• Design the fleet by translating mine plans and constraints into fleet requirements.
• Specify and select equipment and evaluate models, powertrains, configurations, and OEMs.
• Drive the autonomy roadmap and assess retrofit vs purpose-built autonomous machines.
• Engineer autonomy integration with OEMs, software teams, and site staff; define tests and commissioning.
• Plan interactions among autonomous and manually operated equipment; assess impact on roads and volumes.
• Own lifecycle economics: acquisition, maintenance, and residual value.
• Build data-driven tooling with MarianaOS for fleet health and utilization.

Skills

Fleet management

Autonomy systems

Data analysis

Vendor evaluation

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

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 seeking a Mobile Equipment and Fleet Engineer to build and optimize the equipment fleet for our open pit mining operations. You will own the technical specifications, equipment and OEM selection, and full lifecycle economics of production and support equipment. Autonomy is a central part of the role: you will help determine which equipment should operate without an onboard operator, how to achieve that through new purchases or retrofits, and how to integrate autonomous machines into a productive mine.

Your scope includes haul trucks, wheel loaders, excavators, dozers, graders, water trucks, blast-hole drills, blasting support equipment, RC and core drilling rigs, trailers, and other mobile equipment. You will work across operations, maintenance, mine engineering, procurement, OEMs, autonomy providers, and Mariana’s software team.

What You'll Do

• Fleet selection and autonomy
• Design the fleet. Translate mine plans, production targets, haul profiles, ground conditions, road geometry, operating hours, and site constraints into fleet requirements. Match loading, hauling, drilling, and support equipment so the fleet performs as an integrated system.
• Specify and select equipment. Develop technical specifications and compare machine classes, models, powertrains, configurations, and OEMs. Evaluate payload, cycle time, availability, maintainability, parts and dealer support, interoperability, and readiness for remote or autonomous operation.
• Drive the autonomy roadmap. Identify where autonomous haulage, loading, drilling, and support equipment can create practical value. Compare purpose-built autonomous machines with retrofit options, including whether and when removing the onboard operator makes technical, operational, and economic sense.
• Engineer autonomous integration. Work with OEMs, autonomy vendors, site teams, and software developers on machine controls, sensors, communications, fleet coordination, remote supervision and intervention, and interfaces with dispatch and maintenance systems. Define acceptance tests and support safe commissioning.
• Make autonomy work in the field. Plan for interactions among autonomous trucks, loaders, drills, manually operated equipment, and people. Evaluate the effect of autonomy on haul roads, loading areas, traffic rules, fueling and servicing, recovery procedures, productivity, and staffing.
• Lifecycle performance and data
• Own lifecycle economics. Build and maintain models for acquisition, fuel and energy, tires, maintenance, major components, rebuilds, autonomy conversion, replacement, and residual value. Use cost per tonne and project value to guide purchase and replacement decisions.
• Improve equipment life and performance. Partner with operations and maintenance to address downtime, underutilization, payload losses, inefficient operation, and premature wear. Use condition monitoring and operating data to improve maintenance plans, equipment use, and rebuild timing.
• Build with data and software. Define telemetry and data collection needs, connect equipment and maintenance information, and work with the MarianaOS team to develop tools for fleet selection, equipment health, utilization, autonomous performance, and continuous optimization.
• Guide OEM and vendor choices. Assess technical capability, autonomy offerings, integration flexibility, service coverage, parts availability, and long-term support. Stay current with advances in engines, powertrains, controls, and mining automation.

What You'll Bring

• Relevant experience. A background in mobile equipment engineering, fleet management, equipment maintenance, OEM applications, or technology integration in open pit mining or a similar heavy-equipment environment.
• Equipment knowledge. Practical understanding of machine performance and the mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and control systems that determine reliability, maintainability, and operating life.
• Autonomy knowledge. Experience with autonomous or remotely operated equipment, machine controls, or equipment retrofits; and sound judgment about the realities of deployment in an active operation.
• Analytical judgment. Ability to develop fleet and lifecycle cost analyses, investigate equipment data, test assumptions, and make clear recommendations that balance cost, performance, safety, and flexibility.
• Collaborative drive. Strong communication skills and enthusiasm for working with operators, maintainers, engineers, and software developers in a dynamic, multidisciplinary setting.
• Curiosity and initiative. A genuine passion for equipment and engines, an interest in new technology, and the creativity to turn promising ideas into improvements that work in the field.

What Success Looks Like

Mariana has a fleet selected for the actual requirements of each operation, with clear specifications and defensible lifecycle costs. Autonomous equipment is deployed where it improves the operation, with proven integration into the broader fleet. Equipment data informs daily performance improvements and future fleet decisions.

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!