Sr./Staff Pyrometallurgical Process Engineer

Mariana Minerals; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Mariana Minerals is seeking a Pyrometallurgical Process Engineer to lead high-temperature refining and thermal processing system development. You will design, model, scale, and commission pyrometallurgical unit operations while supporting software tools for capital project execution and plant optimization.

You’ll work with R&D, pilot plants, and environmental teams to ensure safe, reliable, and scalable solutions, partnering with ML teams to automate workflows and optimize performance.

Qualifications

• Strong foundation in engineering fundamentals.
• Background in chemical or metallurgical engineering principles applied to complex systems.
• Experience applying engineering principles to pyrometallurgical or high-temperature processing.

Responsibilities

• Lead pyrometallurgical process scopes from concept to ramp-up and handover.
• Develop heat and material balances for high-temperature process trains.
• Design and validate thermal process flowsheets and PFDs/P&IDs for pyrometallurgical circuits.
• Build models for high-temperature reactors and furnaces to support scale-up and deployment.
• Collaborate with R&D, lab teams and pilot-plant engineers to translate findings into designs.
• Partner with environmental and controls teams to optimize off-gas handling systems.
• Work with software and ML teams to automate workflows and develop digital-twin models.

Skills

Engineering fundamentals

Chemical engineering

Metallurgical engineering

Process engineering

Equipment engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical/Metallurgical/Process Engineering

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.

The Role

Mariana Minerals is looking for a highly motivated Pyrometallurgical Process Engineer to help build the critical minerals supply chain supporting the world’s energy transition.

As a Pyrometallurgical Process Engineer at Mariana Minerals, you will lead the development and deployment of first-of-its-kind high-temperature refining and thermal processing systems. You will play a central role in designing, modeling, scaling, and commissioning pyrometallurgical unit operations, while supporting development of software tools for capital project execution and automated plant optimization.

Responsibilities include leading equipment and process scopes from concept and modeling validation through detailed engineering, installation, commissioning, ramp-up, and handover to operations.

What You’ll Do

• Lead pyrometallurgical process scopes from early concept development and thermodynamic modeling through procurement, detailed engineering, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and ramp-up

• Develop detailed heat and material balances for high-temperature process trains, including drying, calcination, roasting, reduction, smelting, converting, slag cleaning, refining, and off-gas treatment

• Design and validate thermal process flowsheets and PFDs/P&IDs for pyrometallurgical circuits, ensuring safety, reliability, and scalability

• Build first-principles thermodynamic and kinetic models for high-temperature reactors and furnaces (e.g., rotary kilns, calciners, electric arc furnaces, submerged arc furnaces, reverberatory furnaces, flash smelters) to support scale-up and commercial deployment

• Model and optimize phase equilibria, slag chemistry, metal recovery, refractory performance, and energy efficiency

• Define specifications and operating envelopes for high-temperature process equipment, burners, power systems, refractory linings, and gas-handling systems

• Identify, evaluate, and implement process improvements to maximize metal recovery, minimize energy consumption, control emissions, and ensure stable furnace operation under varying feedstock chemistries

• Collaborate closely with R&D, lab teams, and pilot-plant engineers to translate bench- and pilot-scale findings into robust commercial pyrometallurgical designs

• Work with environmental and controls teams to design and optimize off-gas handling systems (e.g., cyclones, baghouses, scrubbers, thermal oxidizers, heat-recovery systems)

• Partner with software and machine-learning teams to automate process-engineering workflows and develop advanced control, optimization, and digital-twin models for high-temperature reactors and furnaces

What You’ll Bring

• Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals and demonstrated ability to leverage the understanding to solve challenging problems

• Strong foundation in chemical engineering, metallurgical engineering, or process engineering, with demonstrated ability to apply engineering fundamentals to complex pyrometallurgical systems

• Experience with equipment engineering and design. Including but not limited to:

• Brownfield modifications and upgrades of process equipment (e.g., leach tanks, reactors, filtration systems, solvent extraction circuits)

• Greenfield design of hydrometallurgical unit operations and integrated circuits

• Troubleshooting, evaluation, and optimization of operating pyrometallurgical or chemical-process equipment

• Experience with the following industries and/or production environments:

• Pyrometallurgical mineral processing or metal refining

• Large-scale mining, critical-minerals processing, or battery-materials production

• Industrial chemical manufacturing with complex aqueous/chemical reaction systems

• Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC/EPCM) firms supporting mining and mineral processing industry projects

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!