--- title: 'Lead Operator at Mariana Minerals' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-operator-mariana-minerals-east-6239emcdyrrk' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-04' --- # Lead Operator at Mariana Minerals - **Company:** Mariana Minerals - **Location:** East, TX - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-08-26 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-04 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals/8cf80cb4-ea4f-428f-8b8e-9cd320bc5fed ## 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. Position Summary We are looking for an Operator Lead to oversee shift-level plant operations at our Joaquin, TX facility, directing a small crew of operators through daily production activities while monitoring and controlling process equipment to meet quality, safety, and production targets. Our Operator Lead will serve as the primary point of contact between the shift crew and the Director of Operations / Process Engineering team, ensuring operations run efficiently, safely, and in compliance with standard operating procedures. This professional must be able to work in all areas of the plant, direct others under variable conditions, and exercise sound judgment with minimum supervision. Duties and Responsibilities - Lead and coordinate the shift crew, assigning tasks and priorities across production areas at the start of and throughout each shift. - Conduct shift-start safety stand-downs and communicate priorities, hazards, and operational status to the crew. - Monitor and control process equipment (tanks, pumps, filter presses, reactors, dryers, and packaging equipment) via HMI and manual checks to maintain plant parameters within target ranges. - Direct loading/unloading of trucks, cleaning of filter presses, and packaging of products. - Respond to process upsets and abnormal conditions, escalating to the Maintenance team or Process Engineer as needed and authorizing lockout/tagout for repairs. - Review shift logs, production data, and quality results; ensure accurate and timely documentation of plant activity in log sheets and the CMMS/plant systems. - Coordinate with Maintenance to prioritize and schedule repairs and preventive maintenance without disrupting production. - Perform and verify routine safety and housekeeping inspections across assigned plant areas. - Train and mentor operators on procedures, safety protocols, and equipment operation. - Support plant start-up, shutdown, and commissioning activities as needed. Required Qualifications - Minimum 2-4 years of plant or industrial operations experience, with prior experience directing or leading a small team preferred. - Manufacturing, chemical processing, or industrial plant experience is preferred but not required; strong candidates from other operational backgrounds will be considered. - Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, standard operating procedures, and equipment manuals. - Comfortable working with industrial chemicals and process equipment, and following established safety protocols. - Sound troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify process or equipment issues and determine appropriate corrective action or escalation. - Strong attention to detail with solid record-keeping and basic mathematical skills. - Ability to work in an environment involving exposure to chemicals, fumes, dust, and varying weather conditions, using required PPE. - Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds and work in and around industrial equipment. - The use of the following software could be required: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Power Point, Outlook), Skype, Visio, Adobe (PDF), Share Point, SAP, Microsoft Project. - Willingness to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required by plant operations. - Hydrometallurgy experience Mining experience Battery material experience (desired) 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 Technical Program Manager - Copper](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-staff-technical-program-manager-copper-mariana-minerals-moab-hybc9rnj2271) — Moab, UT - [Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-dv7an46y7ypw) — San Francisco, CA - [Pilot Plant Technician (Night Shift)](https://feeny.ai/job/pilot-plant-technician-night-shift-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-xt80rkhtfgne) — San Francisco, CA - [Full Stack Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/full-stack-software-engineer-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-tdera62xv3p5) — San Francisco, CA - [Administrative Assistant](https://feeny.ai/job/administrative-assistant-mariana-minerals-houston-bamf8ahyve5k) — Houston, TX - [Senior Systems Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-systems-administrator-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-t93c8xavrzp1) — San Francisco, CA - [Lab Chemist](https://feeny.ai/job/lab-chemist-mariana-minerals-moab-3s3trq9bcdc4) — Moab, UT - [Controls Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/controls-technician-mariana-minerals-east-kt73j4cf89md) — East, TX - [Maintenance Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-technician-mariana-minerals-east-am22rcspy7bp) — East, TX - [Process Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/process-engineer-mariana-minerals-east-en510gjggana) — East, TX