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Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company focused on supplying critical minerals for energy, AI, and defense technologies. The company reimagines the minerals supply chain by combining deep industry expertise with advanced software, automation, and data-driven decision-making.
As a Senior Pyrometallurgical Process Engineer, 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.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead pyrometallurgical process scopes from early concept development through thermodynamic modeling, 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 (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
- Collaborate 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
- Partner with software and machine-learning teams to automate process-engineering workflows and develop advanced control, optimization, and digital-twin models
Required qualifications include 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, brownfield modifications and upgrades, greenfield design of hydrometallurgical unit operations, troubleshooting and optimization of operating equipment, and experience in pyrometallurgical mineral processing, large-scale mining, critical-minerals processing, battery-materials production, or industrial chemical manufacturing.
