Pilot Plant Operations Lead — Pyro-Hydro Metallurgy

Mariana Minerals; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Mariana Minerals seeks an experienced Pilot Plant Operations Manager to lead the DSM Pilot Plant in Houston. You will own safe, reliable, round-the-clock operation of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical sections and build the team from the ground up, driving commissioning, startup, and data campaigns.

You will collaborate with process engineers, R&D scientists and maintenance, ensuring safety, quality, and throughput while managing budgets, training and performance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years supervising multi-shift teams
• 10+ years operating pilot or commercial scale plants
• Experience in both pyro- and hydrometallurgy
• Experience with high-temperature equipment (kilns, roasters, calciners, furnaces)
• Experience with wet chemical unit operations (leaching, filtration, precipitation, crystallization)
• Proven safety handling of acids, bases, solvents, and gases
• Ownership of lockout/tagout, hot work, confined space, and safe work permitting
• Commissioning/startup experience on new plants or units
• Fluent with HMI/DCS/PLC systems and with PFDs, P&IDs, control narratives
• Startup-environment experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead the DSM pilot operations team, recruit and develop shift leads into supervisors
• Design and run the shift schedule, rotation, campaign coverage, overtime and attendance
• Write and own the plant procedure library for startup, operation, shutdown, and emergencies
• Own safe and reliable operation of the pyrometallurgical section and related systems
• Own safe and reliable operation of the hydrometallurgical section and related processes
• Manage interfaces between sections, including transfers, recycle streams and waste handling
• Lead commissioning, startup, and campaign execution with safety and quality in focus
• Own EHS on the floor: lockout/tagout, hot work, confined space, spill and exposure responses
• Maintain operating records and support inspections by agencies
• Drive troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for upsets and off-spec product
• Plan campaigns, track feed/reagents/product inventory, report throughput and safety metrics
• Oversee CMMS work orders, preventive maintenance, spares and contractor work on site
• Provide off-hours support during campaigns and plant upsets

Skills

Leadership

Shift leadership

Pilot plant ops

Pyrometallurgy

Hydrometallurgy

High-temp furnaces

Wet chemistry

Safety compliance

Commissioning

Industrial controls

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/metallurgy/chemistry

Tools

HMI/DCS/PLC systems

Historians

Job description

Mariana Minerals seeks an experienced Pilot Plant Operations Manager to lead the DSM Pilot Plant in Houston. You will own safe, reliable, round-the-clock operation of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical sections and build the team from the ground up, driving commissioning, startup, and data campaigns.

You will collaborate with process engineers, R&D scientists and maintenance, ensuring safety, quality, and throughput while managing budgets, training and performance.