--- title: 'Engineering Design Manager at Mariana Minerals' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-design-manager-mariana-minerals-houston-wcrkvphqgtps' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-11' --- # Engineering Design Manager at Mariana Minerals - **Company:** Mariana Minerals - **Location:** Houston, TX - **Compensation:** $100k–$200k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-04-24 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals/f0ed5b09-3b8d-4f55-a786-9a2cb9e60907/application **Skills:** Project Engineering, Project Management, EPC/EPCM Environments, Document Control, Design Reviews, RFI Management, Vendor Coordination, Risk Management, Project Planning, Digital Project-execution Tools > Manage design, tasks, and information flow across internal and external engineering teams for critical minerals projects. Develop project workflows, lead design activities, support document control, and coordinate cross-discipline reviews to ensure timely project delivery. ## 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 Design Manager to work on building the critical minerals supply chain to support the world’s energy transition. In this role, you will manage design, tasks, and the flow of information across internal and external engineering teams for your assigned project(s), primarily during the Detail Engineering phase of project execution. You will develop and maintain project workflows, lead project-specific design activities, support document control processes, manage engineering deliverables, coordinate cross-discipline reviews, manage approvals, and provide progress updates. ## What You’ll Do - Take a hands-on approach leading the detail design of industrial facilities – especially minerals processing plants – with responsibility for integrated technical design and engineering execution. - Manage engineering activities across internal engineering teams, external engineering partners, and vendors. - Assist in building and improving digital project-execution tools, applying your expertise to the development of tools that help us deliver projects. - Coordinate cross-discipline engineering reviews, ensuring timely engagement from process, mechanical, structural, piping, electrical, instrumentation, and construction teams. - Lead technical interface management, resolving gaps and issues between disciplines, vendors, and EPC partners. - Own and lead by example on project performance for cost and schedule, managed against established metrics. - Build and maintain strategic relationships with external partners, vendors, and contractors. - Support resolution of technical issues arising during fabrication and construction phases. - Lead safety in design, including the consistent implementation of policies, procedures, and external best practices. - Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and industry codes and standards. - Prepare project status reports communicating overall progress, major issues, and mitigation plans. - Manage review/approval workflows for engineering documents, vendor submittals, and project deliverables. - Track engineering deliverables and action items, maintaining up-to-date logs, trackers, and registers to ensure alignment with the project schedule. ## What You’ll Bring - Bachelor’s degree in engineering (mechanical, civil, chemical, or related discipline). - 7–15+ years of relevant experience in project engineering, project management, EPC/EPCM environments, or industrial project engineering roles. - Familiarity with engineering project workflows, including planning, risk management, document control, design reviews, RFI management, and vendor coordination. - Strong communication and coordination skills, with the ability to interface across disciplines and follow up effectively with teammates and external partners. - Ability to work in a fast-paced, first-principles-oriented environment, managing competing priorities under schedule pressure. - Familiarity with applicable industry codes and standards. - Strong competencies in accountability, organizational skills, problem-solving, self-motivation, and professionalism across internal and external stakeholders. ## Preferred - Multi-disciplinary experience across mechanical, piping, civil, structural, instrumentation, controls, architecture, and safety. - Extensive experience collaborating with Construction, Operations, and Maintenance teams to ensure designs are safe and fit-for-purpose. 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! ## About Mariana Minerals ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company focused on supplying the minerals critical to modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A, $85M funding in July 2025) - **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States - **Founded**: Not publicly available - **Founders**: Turner Caldwell (Co-Founder & CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Metal Ore Mining / Critical Minerals - **Target customers**: B2B – energy, AI, and defense supply chains (including downstream manufacturers and government entities) - **Mission or purpose**: "Create a future of critical mineral abundance" by reimagining the global minerals supply chain with software, automation, and data-driven decision making. ## Products & Services - **Copper One (formerly Lisbon Valley Copper Mine)**: World’s first autonomous mine, located in Utah. Produces copper using integrated automation and software control. Restarted production in April 2026. - **Lithium One**: Lithium project (on the roadmap or early development). - **Other mineral projects**: Graphite, Uranium, Rare Earth Metals, Cobalt, Nickel, Aluminium – at various stages (stealth or roadmap). - **CapitalProjectOS**: Internal software platform for capital project management (mentioned in leadership bio). - **Technology Stack**: React, dbt, TypeScript, Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, microservices, SCADA, Autodesk, and many others – indicating a strong software engineering backbone. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Total funding – $85M Series A (July 2025, 1 investor) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Lead investor not publicly disclosed (Andreessen Horowitz was pitched but not confirmed as an investor). Partners include Bot Auto, WeRide, Pronto, Atoms (based on LinkedIn mentions). Also works with UMA (Utah Mining Association). - **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 3,575% YoY to 107 employees (as of mid-2026). 73 active job postings. Opened the world’s first autonomous mine (Copper One) in April/May 2026, generating significant industry news and social media engagement. ## Competitive Advantages - **Software-first approach**: The company builds automation and data systems from the ground up, rather than layering tech onto legacy mining operations. This enables fully autonomous mining. - **Vertical integration**: They develop, own, and operate mineral projects, controlling the entire value chain from extraction to processing. - **Deep tech stack**: Use of AI/ML (TensorFlow, PyTorch), simulation, and real-time control systems to optimize mining operations. - **First-mover in autonomous mining**: Copper One is claimed to be the world’s first autonomous mine, giving them a significant lead in operational efficiency and safety. ## Strategic Focus - Scale autonomous mining operations beyond copper (lithium, graphite, uranium, etc.) - Secure domestic supply of critical minerals for U.S. energy, AI, and defense needs. - Continue aggressive hiring across engineering, operations, and field roles. - Expand from Utah to additional sites (Houston engineering office, potential new projects). ## Why Work Here - **Culture principles**: "Extreme Ownership", "Engineer Out Requirements, Then Automate", "Share Your Legos" – emphasizing accountability, simplification, and collaboration. - **Work environment**: High-growth startup with a mission-driven focus on critical infrastructure. Offices in San Francisco (HQ), Houston (Engineering), and La Sal, Utah (mine site). Hybrid/remote policy not explicitly stated, but multiple office locations suggest flexibility for field vs. office roles. - **Notable perks**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI in a traditional industry. Strong engineering culture with modern tech stack (React, Python, ML). Rapid career growth due to company expansion. - **Talent sources**: Attracts talent from Tesla, Redwood Materials, Lilac, ExxonMobil, Amazon Web Services, and other tech/energy companies – indicating a high-caliber peer group. ## Sources 1. [marianaminerals.com](https://marianaminerals.com/) 2. [marianaminerals.com/careers](https://marianaminerals.com/careers) 3. [marianaminerals.com/about](https://marianaminerals.com/about) 4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals) 5. [linkedin.com/company/mariana-minerals](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mariana-minerals) ## Other roles at Mariana Minerals - [Sr./Staff Process Engineer - Detailed Engineering and Plant Design](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-staff-process-engineer-detailed-engineering-and-plant-design-mariana-m9xewg6hdcc5) — Houston, TX - [Industrial Electrician](https://feeny.ai/job/industrial-electrician-mariana-minerals-moab-snerjqgb4qbh) — Moab, UT - [Sr. Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-technical-recruiter-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-hr9b2676c4vw) — San Francisco, CA - [R&D Metallurgist](https://feeny.ai/job/r-d-metallurgist-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-2y0a92fe9ese) — San Francisco, CA - [Maintenance Mechanic](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-mechanic-mariana-minerals-moab-bc9jcgbeg61b) — Moab, UT - [Process Maintenance Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/process-maintenance-technician-mariana-minerals-moab-c6pyeb53jmef) — Moab, UT - [Mobile Maintenance Supervisor](https://feeny.ai/job/mobile-maintenance-supervisor-mariana-minerals-moab-0zyyzma9tm1n) — Moab, UT - [Sr./Staff Pyrometallurgical Process Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-staff-pyrometallurgical-process-engineer-mariana-minerals-houston-dpv5c9qyznbb) — Houston, TX - [Electrician](https://feeny.ai/job/electrician-mariana-minerals-east-50vs2farzxq5) — East, TX - [Staff Process Controls Engineer - Networking and Systems Administration](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-process-controls-engineer-networking-and-systems-administration-mariana-yysg2twzjx6r) — San Francisco, CA