--- title: 'Plant Design Manager at Mariana Minerals' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/plant-design-manager-mariana-minerals-houston-5hz4w45hkerz' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-16' --- # Plant Design Manager at Mariana Minerals - **Company:** Mariana Minerals - **Location:** Houston, TX - **Compensation:** $140k–$190k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-10-14 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals/8b9d4ce1-0a8f-470d-b4b9-7e15846f41d4 ## 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. ## Role Overview Mariana Minerals is looking for an experienced Plant Design Manager to lead our design and Building Information Management (BIM) teams. In this role, you will lead our designers – 3D modelers, 2D drafters, and BIM Managers – while developing and implementing Mariana Minerals’ design strategy. You will establish and enforce the standards, tools, and workflows that govern how our plants are modeled, drafted, and defined, ensuring high-quality, coordinated design deliverables across internal teams, external engineering partners, and vendors from concept through detail engineering and into construction. You will also work extensively with our software development teams to define and implement cutting-edge design and data management tools. ## What You’ll Do - Provide day-to-day leadership for the design team – 3D modelers, 2D drafters, and BIM Managers – working across technical disciplines. - Manage outsourced design and drafting activities. - Recruit and develop designers across disciplines. - Develop and implement Mariana Minerals’ design strategy, including design standards, CAD/BIM standards, modeling conventions, and deliverable requirements. - Own Mariana’s design and BIM-related tools and tool development strategy in collaboration with Mariana’s software development team. - Plan and allocate design resources across projects, balancing workload, priorities, and schedule commitments. - Lead BIM Managers and designers in the development and governance of BIM execution plans, the common data environment (CDE), and information management processes. - Support the design team to develop multi-discipline 3D plant models (process, mechanical, piping, structural, civil, electrical, and instrumentation) and the production of associated 2D deliverables, including general arrangements, layouts, piping isometrics, and fabrication and construction drawings. ## What You’ll Bring - 10–15+ years of experience in plant design for industrial facilities in owner, EPC, or EPCM environments. - 5+ years of experience leading and line-managing design teams, including 3D modelers, 2D drafters, and BIM professionals. - Demonstrated experience developing and implementing design, CAD, and BIM strategies, standards, and procedures. - Advanced knowledge of 3D plant design and 2D drafting software, BIM coordination and clash detection tools, and common data environments. - Strong understanding of multi-discipline plant design deliverables, design review processes, and engineering workflows from concept through detail engineering and construction. - Familiarity with applicable industry codes and standards, as well as drafting and information management standards. - Strong leadership, communication, and people-management skills, with the ability to coach, motivate, and develop a team. - Ability to work in a fast-paced, first-principles-oriented environment, managing competing priorities under schedule pressure. - 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. - Experience working with software development teams. - Experience implementing information management frameworks. - Experience with design automation, scripting, or computational design, and with integrating design data into digital twin or project-execution platforms. - Experience with laser scanning and point cloud integration for brownfield design. - 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 - [IP Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/ip-counsel-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-p7p8qadb6xg7) — San Francisco, CA - [Commercial Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-counsel-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-c0kbyd0vszp7) — San Francisco, CA - [Maintenance Training Opportunities](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-training-opportunities-mariana-minerals-moab-sd5f5z532gz1) — Moab, UT - [Commissioning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/commissioning-engineer-mariana-minerals-houston-370gtt85kmfw) — Houston, TX - [Production Planner](https://feeny.ai/job/production-planner-mariana-minerals-houston-xf1gadffk1h4) — Houston, TX - [Sr./Staff Process Engineer - Detailed Engineering and Plant Design](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-staff-process-engineer-detailed-engineering-and-plant-design-mariana-sfmfv4wge0eb) — Houston, TX - [Sr. Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-technical-recruiter-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-hr9b2676c4vw) — San Francisco, CA - [Logistics Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/logistics-analyst-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-y00p556jbf2y) — San Francisco, CA - [Pilot Plant Operations Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/pilot-plant-operations-manager-mariana-minerals-houston-s78cx16gdpcm) — Houston, TX - [Logistics Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/logistics-manager-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-5cmp9kj3hfpj) — San Francisco, CA